The Walking Dead
by hydra350
Summary: AMC's The Walking Dead   Rick Grimes wasn't worried just for Lori, and Carl.  He was worried about Ann.  His sister was a nurse in the hospital that he was at.  Will his sister be safe?
1. Chapter 1

The Walking Dead

AUTHOR- Hydra350

DISCLAIMER- Yeah right. If I owned this show or comic…well I'd be rich. But since I'm not rich it must mean that it isn't mine.

Summary: Follow the survivors of The Walking Dead. (AMC's The Walking Dead) Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes wasn't worried just for Lori, and Carl. He was worried about Ann Grimes. His sister worked as a nurse in the hospital that he was at when he woke up. Will he find his wife and son? Will his sister be safe?

Drama/Romance

Daryl/OFC

Rick Grimes smirked at the younger girl in front of him as she fussed around the nurses station. Clearly the girl didn't know he was standing there yet and he shushed the other nurses who grinned secretly.

"Excuse me Nurse!" He stated loudly and the girl jumped in the air dropping the box of office supplies she was holding.

"HOLY FRITTLECAKES!" She cried out as she dropped the box. "Rick! That was not funny!" She yelled at her brother as the nurses sitting down trying to silence their giggles.

"Frittlecakes?" Rick laughed through his grin. "That's a new one."

"Is there a reason why yer here?" The girl asked as she picked up the box of supplies again.

"Yeah, Carl's ninth birthday party is comin' up in three days."

"I know it is." The girl frowned knowing what was going to happen next. "Rick yer wife hates me."

"Ann she doesn't hate you…" Rick rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Well then she REALLY doesn't like me!" Ann Grimes crossed her arms and stared at her brother.

"But she don't hate you." Rick argued back. The nurses nodded to each other and they left the station to do their rounds. This was going to get ugly. "Ann Louise Grimes this is yer nephew! Are you really going ta disappointment him by not going?"

"Ah for the love of…" Ann growled in annoyance. "Fine! What time is the party?" She saw Rick grin in victory.

"7:30." He started off and waved back at her. "Don't be late." He grinned again as he dodged a flying notepad. "Love ya to sis!" He bolted down the hall before she could grab the pencils. He didn't see the smile on Ann's face.

She shook her head and went back to work. She looked around puzzled.

"Now where in the hell did everyone go?" She muttered to herself when she realized the other nurses had scooted.


	2. Late to the Party

Three Days Later…

The clock struck 8:00 PM. Rick glared at the clock as his son opened his birthday gifts. His partner Shane heard knocking on the door and opened it up.

"Shit sorry I'm late!" Ann hurried into the fray of children.

"Come right in…" Shane smirked at the younger girl who blew through still wearing her uniform.

Rick gave his sister a pointed look but noticed the bedraggled look on her face. Her ponytail was hanging to the side with hair falling out of it. It looked like she had been running over hell's half acre.

"Long day?" He asked quietly.

"You have NO idea!" Ann sighed deeply trying to calm down her heartbeat. "I just spent the last seven hours, with an 'all hands on deck' situation at the Hospital." Ann leaned over the kitchen sink and splashed some water on her face.

"What kind of situation?" Shane asked from the doorway. Since Ann's head was underwater she didn't the entrance. When he spoke she jumped again and banged her head on the faucet.

"OW!" She whined miserably. She rubbed the back of her head while Shane snickered. "You guys gotta stop doin that!"

"What kind of situation?" Rick asked again after he chuckled at Shane's entrance.

"We've had at least nine cases of influenza come in. I was almost out the dang door when the first couple came in coughing."

"Some kind of poison ya think?" Shane asked worriedly not snickering at her pain anymore.

"Nah it don't look like anything lethal. Just head colds, guess Flu season is hitting really early this time." Ann grinned after fixing her hair again. "Now where's that birthday boy?" She called loudly as she exited the other doorway into the fray of kids.

Rick and Shane watched her leave before they shared a look then burst into laughter.

"We really should stop making her so damn jumpy." Rick pulled another beer out of the fridge and handed it to Shane who nodded.

"Yeah, but only when it stops being so much fun…" Shane shook his head with a laugh. "I seriously love that girl Rick."

"I'd be honored if ye do…" Rick stated simply knowing his partner didn't mean it like that.

"Yer an idiot ya know that?" Shane sighed in annoyance. "You know I don't got no siblings. She's like the little sister I never had…"

"And probably never wanted…" Rick grinned and Shane snickered into bottle of beer.

"Yeah probably."

"Come on. Let's make sure Lori don't kick her out for one thing or another." Rick stated and grabbed a bottle of beer for himself.


	3. Rick's been what!

Nine days later Ann was checking over hospital clipboards. She shook her head in dismay.

"Nancy!" She called out and the red headed nurse hurried over to her.

"Yeah?"

"I thought the influenza patients were better!" She snapped in annoyance. "I just hope we don't get a malpractice suit slapped on us!" Ann grumbled angrily, Nancy took the clipboards and looked for herself.

"No these are the new patients…"

"New patients? How many?" Ann snatched back the boards worriedly to find out the patients she had been looking at were not the same ones. "25?" Ann whined in despair. "Just what in the hell is goin on out there?"

Just then an emergency alert went out over the police scanner. Ann sighed hearing about casualties and injuries sustained due to a police chase ending badly. Two suspects were dead, the last was fatally injured. One of the officers was fatally shot as well. Ann turned away getting supplies ready for the sudden onslaught when she heard something else the things fell to the floor making the two other nurses jump in surprise.

"Damn it Ann that stuff is expensive!" Nancy grumbled angrily as she started to pick them up. "Ann?" The red head looked back and frowned worriedly at the pale expression on her friends face. "Ann?" She called again but Ann turned and ran for the double doors as fast as she could and slammed through them. Nancy stood up and walked over to the brunette nurse. "What did she hear that made her upset Tina?"

"Nothing I know of. It only said that the Sheriff's Deputy was the one that had been shot."

"OH MY GOD!" Nancy paled herself.

"What?"

"That was her brother you idiot!" Nancy hurried for the double doors.

Ann Grimes glared at the head nurse who was helping with Rick's surgery.

"Grimes you are not authorized to be on this level…" Julia Strickler argued.

"I swear to GOD if ye don't let me assist in that surgery I will email the pictures of you and the Director's brother at the mans wedding to him!"

"You wouldn't!" Julia paled in terror Ann gave the older woman a challenging eyebrow raise. "You would…" She nodded in dismay. "Fine but if you git in trouble I ain't ta blame!" Julia growled and stormed off.

Ann then proceeded to scrub in and suited up in the outfit provided.

"Where's Julia?" The surgeon asked confusedly.

"She got caught with her proverbial pants down…" Ann offered cryptically, and the surgeon shrugged. Ann Grimes looked down at her brother in sadness the wound was in a bad spot. She cast a look past the outer doors and saw Shane pacing while Lori held Carl who was in hysterics.

"Okay then, let's get to work." The surgeon announced to the room Ann just nodded and did what she was asked.


	4. What Happened!

Nine hours passed before they managed to get Rick stable enough for a hospital room. Ann sighed tiredly and ripped the bloodied gloves off of her hands.

"Good work in there nurse." Doctor Daniels nodded, she smiled sadly in thanks. She changed out of the scrubs and entered the waiting room. Shane's head shot up in fear of losing his friend. He gave Ann a confused look.

"What the hell were you in there fer?" He asked harshly.

"I blackmailed my way into the surgery. Now what the hell happened to him?" Ann gave Shane her own harsh comment.

"There was a robbery. Three suspects sped down Bakers Road. We set up a road block they crashed. First suspect crawled out and was gunned down quickly. Second one emerged and shot Rick. Luckily first shot was blocked by the vest. I shot and killed the second one. There wasn't any movement from the car. I helped Rick to stand we started talkin. Suddenly another guy came outta the car and shot Rick under the vest." Shane breathed in finally. "How is he?" He asked fearfully.

"He's alive. In just a bit Doctor Daniels will be find you and give you a better idea of what's what…"

"Excuse me nurse?" A young lady called supporting an old man. Ann sighed tiredly and gave Shane a dubious look.

"Looks like another Flu patient…"

"Nurse, please my father needs help!" The woman called again. Ann walked over to the two in the middle of the room and started to assess the new patient.

"Okay go sit in an available exam room. Shane I gotta get back to work. I'll be by Rick's room later to make sure everything's okay. I want to hear what Daniels says okay?" She ordered Shane who nodded. She saw the worried expression Shane gave the old man who wheezed again. "Okay let's get you checked in sir."

After Ann Grimes got the elderly man into a room for an exam she found Nancy cradling her hand.

"Hey Nance what's up?" Ann asked concernedly.

"One of those brats just bit me! Can you believe it?" Nancy whined. "I was just tryin ta take his temperature!"

"Let me see." Ann took her friends hand and frowned. "Wow how old was he?"

"Six! I didn't even think a six year old could bite hard enough to break the skin."

"Children react anyway they can when scared. You should put some medicine on it. You don't want what is running through the mill. I just had another person come in with a head cold."

"Wow that makes over 42." Nancy shook her head and saw Ann pale.

"But the number a couple hours ago was 25!"

"How's Rick?" Nancy asked shaking off the rest of this sickness talk.

"He's alive, but I'm goin ta go to his room later and make sure he's still breathing."

The girl's walked into a hallway where a gurney holding a dying child went past them.

"That was the kid that bit me!" Ann paled when Nancy said that.

"What the hell is going on?" Ann looked around in her own fear. People looked like they were losing all body strength and just sitting down or falling.


	5. Dead Patient Awake?

Ann Grimes spent the next week helping the Doctors move the weak Flu victims to rooms. She also spent her free time in Rick's room. He was alive but he was in a coma. Shane often came by to check up on both him and Ann. The day that hell broke loose had been the day Ann took a nap in the locker room. It was a hellish day to begin with. Not only Nancy had called in sick but half of the nurses also had come down with something at the same time. She heard screams echo through the hallways and she sat up in terror. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. The sun was still shining but she was sure she heard screams.

She stood up and stretched when she heard running footsteps coming quickly down the hall. A junior volunteer was screaming and running. Ann exited the locker room and slammed into a taller figure.

"ANN?" The figure shouted grabbing her shoulder to steady her. "What in the hell are ya doin here?"

Ann gave Shane a befuddled expression.

"Uhm…" She gave him a 'duh' expression. "Working…?" She added on to the look as if to say 'why else would I be here?' She did notice that Shane looked really terrified. Hell terrified was a damn understatement. Shane looked positively panicked.

"We need to get Rick, and get the fuck outta here!" Shane tried to move Ann forward but she folded her arms and gave him an unamused grimace.

"Not one of your funny pranks Shane…" Ann frowned. "Now is there a reason you're trying to freak me out?"

"THERE'S NO TIME!" Shane yelled at her so loudly she nearly fell into the wall. He roughly spun her around so she could see something. Her face paled and laughed nervously.

"Oh look…" She let out another nervous giggle. "The dead patient on level 4 is awake…" Ann Grimes looked back at Shane who nodded in his own 'duh' look.

The patient in question if you could it that had been a 34 year old male. There was a chunk of his left arm missing and as he lumbered towards the two of them. He made an inhuman growl as he got closer. Head nurse Julia Strickler tried to duck past the 'man' but he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to him. Julia started screaming as the man sank his mouth onto her neck and ripped a huge piece of skin off. Julia's mouth gurgled with another scream as two more whatever the hell those things were damn near pounced on her and started chewing pieces of her.

Ann covered her mouth and fought the rising bile in her throat.

"SHANE WHAT THE HELL?" She screamed in horror.

"NOW MOVE IT!" He gripped her arm and forced her with him to Rick's room. Once they were there he looked around the hallway.

"WE NEED HELP HERE!" Shane called out into the hallway. Ann saw something that made her gasp in horror. The other nurses and doctors were being held at gunpoint by some people in military uniforms. They opened fire on the defenseless people thus killing them all. Ann squeaked and ran back into Rick's room. She opened the window as far as it would go. Then Shane nearly tackled her to the linoleum floor. Rick's bed hid them both whenever a soldier wearing a gas mask kicked open the door. After scanning the room and seeing the wide open window figured the two he had seen before had already bolted. He left without even looking around because more growls were coming from down the hallway.

"Shane what is going on?" Ann whispered tears falling down her cheeks. Shane wasn't listening he was talking to Rick.

"Rick I swear buddy if yer gonna wake up, ya need ta do it now!" Shane ordered his best friend not even trying to hold in his terror. "Please! Just say anything!" He pled softly trying not to cry. The fact that Ann had never seen Shane freak out like this was freaking her out even more. The lights flickering before everything shut off. Rick's machines shut off with the outage and Ann started to cry more.

"No! Nononononononono!" She cried even more when Shane placed his ear to try to hear Rick's heartbeat. Shane leaned back and looked devastatingly at Ann. She shook her head in denial then placed her ear to his chest as well. Upon hearing nothing herself she hiccupped with sob. "No…" She wailed slightly. "No Rick…." Her breath caught again. "no." She held onto her brother.

"Ann we need to get outta here." Shane wiped his eyes in despair and forced her to stand. He shoved her through the open door. More people were making their way down the hallway but Ann didn't pay much attention to them. Shane was having trouble moving a gurney in front of the Rick's now closed door.

"He ain't goin ta be any of their meals!" He vowed venomously. Ann saw he couldn't move it so she nudged her foot and hit the release pedal. The gurney moved and Shane looked at her silently as he placed the object in front of the door. She stepped on the pedal again locking it into place once more. "Come on! We need ta get Lori and Carl!"

Ann just nodded blankly and let herself be lead anywhere that Shane went. Everything happened so quickly after that. Ann though barely took any notice to the events happening around her. All she knew was that she was alone. It was like she was on autopilot and didn't realize the things going on around her. She even didn't remember when Shane and them bumped into a gaggle of other survivors.


	6. Pleased to meet ya

"She okay?" Ann heard a female she didn't know ask Shane. She was just staring into the fire that the man named Jim had started.

"Might be shock." An older man stated simply Ann saw the man with white hair and beard shrug.

"We lost her brother. He was the only family she had. The power outage turned off his machines and he died."

"Machines?" An Asian accent reached Ann's ears.

"Aunt Ann works at the hospital. Dad was in a coma after he got shot." Carl cried as Lori held him closer.

Ann didn't pay attention at all even when some black people entered their camp looking for safety. Shane tried to get her to eat something but she didn't even look at him. He sighed sadly and walked over to where Lori and Carl were sitting. At some point a young man started to choke. People gathered around not sure what to do. Lori looked over at Ann who had actually moved her eyes to watch the scene. She noticed the angry glare Lori gave her and she sighed before she stood up. Ann Grimes walked over to the group.

"What do we have?" She asked dully, making people jump a bit.

"He's choking!" The man's sister whined.

"Did he eat anything?" Ann asked another question.

"He didn't get a chance to!" The girl was getting freaked out.

"If he hasn't eaten yet then it's not choking. Did he get injured today?" Ann asked another question and the girl gaped at her in astonishment.

"He accidentally fell into a tree when we were walking here. He must have hit his throat or something."

"Let me take a look." Ann stated simply and knelt near the man. There was a small bump in the middle of the man's throat. She sighed tiredly and looked around. "Does anyone have straws, pens or something hollow?" The man with the white beard nodded and ran into his motor home and came back out with a fresh package of straws. "Rubbing alcohol?" The older man shook his head sadly.

"What about this?" A taller man with what looked like an animal skin vest asked as he handed her over his liquor.

"It will do. I need a knife."

"This?" A guy Ann's age pulled out a huge ass hunting knife.

"Anything a little smaller?" Ann gave the other's a perplexed smirk. When there was no answer she sighed yet again. "I also need cloth and somebody that ain't squeamish with blood."

"BLOOD?" The girl screamed at her. "Just what in the hell do ya think yer doin?" She screamed angrily.

"Saving your brother." Shane knelt beside Ann and nodded that he'd help her. They combined unused clothes that would help with the impromptu surgery. "Tape I need tape!" Ann cursed her idiocy when she almost forgot. A roll of duct tape suddenly landed at her feet. She nodded thankfully to Lori who just grimaced at her.

It didn't take too long for Ann and Shane to perform the tracheotomy. The man was already breathing more easier and gaining some color back in his cheeks. Ann stood nodded to Shane in gratitude and moved to a small stream that led down the mountain into a lake.

"He'll be out of commission for a while. But at least he's breathing. Need ta wait til the swelling goes down more before we focus on stitches." Ann offered to the sister who promptly hugged her. Ann stiffened from the contact and let the sobbing girl hug her silly. After that fiasco was over she scrubbed her hands free of blood in the water. She looked down at the bottle of liquor she had set down. Then Ann did something she never thought about before. She took a generous swig out of the bottle. Her face contorted in disgust but at least it wasn't as bad as she though it would have been.

"Ya know that was cool." Came a new voice from behind her and she jumped in the air. She turned and saw the dark haired guy from before.

"Oh. You must want yer knife back. I can clean it first…." She offered quietly but the guy shrugged.

"Nah I'm good. That knife o mine has helped me gut and cut up so much fish I'm sure it got it's own blood type." Ann smirked slightly at the sentence. "Though my brother might want his whiskey back." He gave her an impish smirk as he nodded to the bottle in her hand. "That is less ya drink it all. Course he might be little upset with ya. Merle never did like it when someone drank his liquor all up."

"Uhm, Merle he's the tall one with the vest?" Ann asked confusedly. "Sorry I've been outta it. I don't really know any names right now."

"Well the older guy that looks like he belongs on Golden Pond's name is Dale." The guy pointed to the Asian kid. "That one is name Glen, he's a pizza guy." The guy looked confused for a second. "That's all the names I got so far myself."

"And you?" Ann asked curiously.

"Daryl Dixon."

"Ann Grimes." Ann shook Daryl's hand when he extended it to her.

"Pleasure ta meet ya Miss Grimes."


	7. Anybody but him!

_**Ann walked over to the rest of the group and sat down at the fire. As soon as darkness crept in everyone had gone to their respected tents and cars to sleep. Ann looked around glumly and moved over to the tent that Lori, Carl and Shane were sleeping in. Lori blocked her with one hand.**_

"_**There's just not enough room Ann. I bet Dale or the blond sisters over there can put up with you for tonight."**_

"_**Put up with?" Ann glared at her sister-in-law.**_

"_**Put you up." Lori amended her phrase but she didn't look an ounce apologetic.**_

_**Ann had asked if anyone else could spare the room but they had all said the same thing. Plus she could see that the others were cramped enough as is. She sat at the fire again and stared into it. The taller man Jim came over to stoke the fire and sat beside her.**_

"_**How long ya keeping the fire lit?" She asked quietly.**_

"_**Jus as soon as everyone falls asleep. Those things, we dubbed them the Walkers they'd be drawn to the fire light. So we gonna have ta keep a watch on how much time the fire burns."**_

"_**Did the Walker's have cold like symptoms?" Ann asked quietly.**_

"_**Most of them did. Most only got sick when they get scratched or bitten." Jim explained sadly.**_

"_**Then I guess my best friend is either dead or one of those things."**_

"_**You got any idea as to what THIS is?" Jim asked curiously.**_

"_**It jus seemed like the Flu to us at the hospital. I guess you guys don't have any idea as to where this thing has spread?"**_

"_**We jus as confused as you." Jim admitted quietly.**_

"_**I think the last person just feel asleep." Ann nodded over to the Mexican family as they stopped moving in their car.**_

"_**Suppose so. Don't sleep too far from camp. Still don't know if this place is as safe as we want." Jim frowned when the girl nodded in response and laid down facing away from the fire. "Not what I meant."**_

"_**There's no other place to go, so if you don't mind I am jus going ta fucking sleep!" Ann snapped acidly ignoring the burning in her eyes.**_

"_**Okay then. Wish I could offer a blanket but I only got the one."**_

"_**Thanks anyway." Ann sighed closing her eyes willing herself to fall asleep.**_

_**The cold mountain air was crisp as it whipped lightly through the camp. Ann shivered in her sleep and curled up into a ball trying to keep warm. The next morning she woke up she saw others milling around the camp trying to come up with things to eat. She was warmer than she had been when she fell asleep. Whenever she sat up the heavy jacket on her upper body fell down and pooled into her lap. She looked at it in surprise and took in the design of the jacket. **_

'_**Certainly looks like a hunting jacket.' She mused to herself. She picked it up and noticed two letters written on the tag. 'D.D' She looked around the camp again and came to rest at the tent that was housing Merle and Daryl Dixon. She felt her cheeks burn slightly when she realized that Daryl must of covered her with the jacket at some point. She folded the jacket nice and neatly and placed it on a rock beside the opening of their tent.**_

_**Ann looked over at the man who started to fuss with the batch of straws in his throat. She approached him after rolling her eyes.**_

"_**Hold it there…" She muttered knocking his hand away from the tape. "I see ya are a bit confused. Probably nervous as ta why there's a bunch of straws in yer throat." The man nodded carefully. "Ya started to choke last night. I've been told by yer sister that you hadn't eaten. So it weren't the usual choking. Found out about the spill in the woods ya took. Figured yer throat was swelled up making it hard ta breath. These straws are helping ya breath. I'm waiting for a while til the swelling goes down so I can take em out and stitch ya up."**_

"_**You. Doctor?" The man asked slowly minding his throat.**_

"_**No I'm a nurse, but tracheotomies are standard for all medical employees."**_

"_**Thank. You." He nodded minutely and gratitude.**_

"_**I'll be back over in a while ta check on ya. I left instructions with yer sister as to how to feed ya."**_

_**(Daryl)**_

_**Daryl Dixon looked back at his brother as Jim sat beside Ann at the fire. He looked back at Merle who was grumbling to himself about the liquor being less than he had before. Daryl rolled his eyes and looked back at Ann and Jim as they talked. He frowned when Ann laid down away from the fire.**_

"_**What in da hell she doin?" He muttered out loud and heard Merle sigh in annoyance. **_

"_**Probably tryin ta sleep like me." Merle bit out rolling over.**_

_**Daryl watched Jim put the fire out and head on to his truck. **_

"_**She's gonna freeze ta death!" He snapped annoyed with this situation.**_

"_**Why don't ya jus complain about it a little more!" Merle growled from his sleeping bag. "Or go club her and drag her back to yer cave. Whatever ya do I jus wanna sleep!" Merle threw his boot at his younger brother.**_

_**Daryl saw the girl shiver in the wind and curl into a ball.**_

"_**I'm gonna go cover her up with my hunting jacket…"**_

"_**Yeah you do that." Merle grumbled still trying to sleep. He did however look over as his little brother grabbed his jacket and made his way to the shivering girl. He smirked slightly shook his head before falling asleep.**_

**Ann moved from her patient after assuring him again she would be back later. She approached Shane who was talking to Dale and Jim.**

"**Morning." She greeted the three. Jim nodded to her and Dale smirked and greeted her back. "Shane can I talk to you?" She asked curiously. He nodded but he had this look in his eyes that she couldn't describe. They moved away from the other two and he looked at her.**

"**What is it?" He asked sounding a bit impatient.**

"**Next time ya think ya can spare one blanket?" Ann asked sardonically.**

"**For?"**

"**Jus forget it." Ann walked away and smiled shyly at Daryl who smirked at her when they crossed path. She noticed the worried look on Shane's face while he stared at Daryl. He looked back over at her and shook his head as if to say 'anybody but him!'**


	8. Ya gotta eat

Over the next ten days Ann found herself drifting farther from Lori, Shane and Carl and closer to the other survivors. The blond sisters were really nice and sweet. The older one Andrea seemed like she could take three girls in a bar fight. The younger one Amy had a sense of humor but could still be serious. There was something odd about Jim he seemed to know more about everyone else than they were comfortable with. Ann just figured he had a touch of psychic. Dale was like the father figure for everyone. He offered advice to anyone even when they didn't ask. The bulky black guy was named T-Dog. He had laughed when Ann had asked if he had another name. Jackie was an older black woman. Ann often embarrassed the lady with compliments. She kept telling her that her skin tone, along with facial bone structure was what sculptors only dream about. Glen the Asian pizza deliverer just talked about all the cars he wanted to buy. As soon as he mentioned all the insides of said cars Ann's eyes would glaze over. Daryl and Merle would see her practically flee from Glen in terror shouting something about 'not caring which carburetor goes to which car!'

Much to Shane's discomfort Ann kept gravitating towards the Dixon brothers. Why she kept associating with the two most volatile survivors was beyond him. Though Merle the older one made her laugh with stupid and inappropriate jokes. Which she always replied 'Merle I didn't need that image'. Hell she actually made him laugh back. No Shane was more worried about Daryl Dixon. He knew if Rick were alive right now he'd never stand to have that jackass looking at her the way he does. Unfortunately Ann Grimes was an adult, she could see anyone she wanted to. It didn't mean Shane or Rick would like the guy doing the dating. She was after all the closest thing to a sibling he had left.

Into the third week of surviving the end of the world Shane had started to pull away from Ann more and more. She had sneaking suspicion that it had been Lori's doing. Andrea and Jim had noticed that Ann Grimes was starting to retreat farther into herself. Of course to say it was just the two of them that noticed would've been a lie. The others could see that the poor girl was nearly a hop skip and a jump away from snapping.

"Poor thing really doesn't have anybody." Dale whispered to the others around the fire.

"I heard her parents died 10 years ago." Glen muttered darkly.

"And now her brother. That Shane guy that bunks in with Lori and her kid was the only one that pays her any mind." Jim muttered not liking Lori much.

"Even he is pulling away. Should we be worried if she does anything?" Jackie asked sadly as Amy looked over the camp and saw Daryl Dixon walk over to Ann holding something that looked like squirrel meat.

"No." Amy admitted smirking sadly at Dixon's stubbornness finally getting the girl to eat.

"I brought ya over some of da squirrel Merle caught earlier." Daryl told her worriedly as he put the plate in front of her.

"I ain't really that hungry." Ann admitted sullenly.

"Ya ain't ate anything today…" Daryl challenged frowning angrily.

"Haven't been hungry." Ann looked down to the grass she was sitting on.

"Well dang it ya gotta eat!" Daryl snapped and sat beside her. "Ya start eating this or I swear I'll shove down yer damn throat!" He saw the bemused expression on Ann's face before she sighed in defeat and ate some of the meat.

"Not too bad. Neva had squirrel before." Ann admitted and Daryl gaped at her in shock.

"Well ya jus ain't livin!" He cried indignantly. Ann took one look at his face and snorted in laughter.

The others from the fire watched the two interact and felt better that the girl had eaten something, and even laughed a bit.

"Amy's right. She'll be jus fine." Andrea smirked into the fire after seeing the two of them.


	9. Why did Shane bother?

Ann and Lori got into a fight the next day. Lori had yelled something to her and Ann had slapped her so hard that she went down. Something about not pulling her weight around and slowing everyone down with her depressed moods. Shane followed Ann as she stormed away from the camp. He grabbed her elbow stopping her from getting all the way of the grounds.

"Dammit Ann! What da hell was that about?" He snapped at her angrily.

"I have had enough. Of. That. Woman's. ABUSE!" Ann growled venomously at him.

"She was voicing her opinion! And ye struck her! How was saying ye should help out more abuse?"

"Of course you didn't hear the rest. Ya came inta the fight after her words were said!" Ann bit out angrily and tried to storm off again. Shane gripped her elbow again stopping her from leaving once more. Ann spun around on him and he saw the anger in her eyes, the betrayal and the hurt.

"I jus have one question!" She sniffed angrily. "Why'd ya even save me?" Ann tested the strength of Shane's hold. "Why'd ya even bother?" She tested it again but it was still a death grip. "I wish ya had jus left me there." Ann admitted sadly and saw the horror enter Shane's eyes.

"Ya can't mean that…" His voice came out breathless like she had punched him.

"At least I'd be with mah brother!" Ann's accent came out thicker because the anguish she felt. "Take a look around ya Shane!" Ann yelled acidly. "I got nothing! Nobody! NO FRIENDS! NO FAMILY!"

"But you are surviving with us…" Shane tried to sound positive.

"You think this is me surviving?" Ann's eyes took on a dead expression. "This ain't me survivin' Shane." Ann sighed so tiredly. "This is me just waitin until I finally git tired o livin." She slid her arm out of his grasp. "And I gotta say…" She looked back at him. "That might happen sooner rather than later." She finished and walked away from the camp. Shane stared at her in mute horror and walked back into the camp.

Shane noticed the looks everyone was giving him as he walked through camp. When he looked over at them they quickly went back to what they were doing. Pretending that they hadn't heard the whole damn thing. He walked over Lori who was hanging up some of Carl's laundry.

"What did ya say to her Lori?" He asked dangerously.

"You heard what I said ta her!" Lori bit out defensively. "Not my fault if she can't stand to take responsibilities!"

"Lori Grimes tell me what ya said ta her or so help me GOD!" Shane knew Lori was withholding info.

"I might have said her depressed moods were slowing everyone down…"

"JESUS! What the hell's da matta with you?" Shane exploded on her angrily. "I know ya don't like her! But treating her like this is not only disrespectful but it's downright stupid!" Shane walked away angrier than he had ever felt. Lori looked over at the others who just kind of turned their noses up at her and went back to their own tasks. Lori set her jaw and finished doing Carl's laundry before she started on her own.


	10. not a dimwitted redneck

Ann walked through the woods slowly. She knew it was idiotic to storm out of camp like that. What she said had been true though. She wasn't sure how much longer she could survive alone. Hell even if she would want to live any longer. Her world had ended, her family was gone. Her friends and co-workers were either dead or walking around as one of those 'things'. Maybe it was time for her to just go home. It had to be better than having to live through the torment of Lori's words everyday.

"What're you doing this far out?" Came a drawl from a tree above her. She looked up startled and sighed seeing Daryl holed up in a tree with his crossbow.

"Thinking." Ann admitted sadly.

"About?" Daryl asked while looking around for more animals to catch.

"Going home…" She didn't hear his reaction because he shot an arrow getting another rabbit. She might have heard a 'sumbitch' but she kicked a rock away not caring. She saw Daryl Dixon slid out of the tree and glare at her.

"What you gots yerself some kind o death wish?" He snapped angrily at her.

"So what if I do?" Ann snapped tiredly and Daryl blinked in surprise. "There's nothing for me anymore!" Ann looked around the woods that had grown quieter due to her outburst. "I am bout damn near outta reasons ta want ta live!" Ann shook her head woefully. She started to walk away from Daryl whose face went a shade redder. He pulled out his hunting knife angrily.

"So help me GOD if ya walk another step!" He growled venomously and she rolled her eyes and walked two steps before a huge ass hunting knife impaled itself in the trunk of the tree she was beside. She stared at the knife which had landed beside her head. She looked over in disbelief at him and her eyes darkened in anger.

"DID YOU REALLY JUST THROW THAT AT ME?" She shouted angrily, Daryl barely had time to react before she tackled him with an inhumane roar of anger. She got her elbow into his chest before he spun her around and landed her into a tree. She winced from pain but the anger took over again and she swooped her leg around and clipped his back knee taking them both down. He quickly pinned her to the wet grassland causing her to buck up angrily. "LET ME GO!" She screamed acidly. He didn't speak he just kept her pinned to the ground. "IT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR!" Ann Grimes shrieked as loud as she could. "WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?" She yelled again breathing in again. "HE PROMISED!" Ann let out a sob. "He promised he'd neva leave me! Like mom and dad!" Ann hyperventilated slightly before she screamed again. "I FUCKING HATE THIS! I GOT LEFT BEHIND! EVERYONE GOT TO GO BUT ME!" Ann swallowed her tears before yelling again. "I'VE NEVA BEEN SO ANGRY! I just want to kill everything and break things! I CANT TAKE IT AMYMORE!" She let out a final roar of rage and sagged into the ground spent of energy. She noticed Daryl still had her pinned. He hadn't spoken during her tirade and she saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Feel better?" He asked quietly.

Ann breathed in again to find it didn't hurt as much as it had. Not like the first day that the world ended. The feeling that was inside her when she knew that Rick was gone was still there but it was now less intense. Her face took on a look on quiet contemplation.

"Yeah…" She admitted quietly. "I do."

"Good. Now let's get this rabbit back ta camp!" Daryl stood up and grabbed his knife from the tree and grabbed her arm and hoisted her up. "Anger's like snake venom." He informed her quietly after he grabbed up the rabbit he killed. "Ya gotta get rid of it fore' ya die." Ann stared at Daryl Dixon in puzzlement. Everyone else had him pegged as a dimwitted redneck. What he just said proved he wasn't as dim as he let others believe.

They walked into camp and went their separate ways. Ann sighed deeply and found that the world looked sharper now. It was like somebody had flipped the 'on' switch and she was seeing everything for the first time. 'Wow what kind of mood have I been in that I just now noticed everything?'

The others were sitting around the fire eating the fish that Andrea and Amy caught. Along with the rabbit Daryl caught it was pretty good eating. Ann sat down with her own food and smirked wolfishly at Shane who looked surprised.

"Ya know Shane…" She started with her smirk still on her face. "Ya gotta work on that girl right there." Ann nodded her head to Lori who grimaced at her. "Seriously only one hit took her down!" Glen snickered silently as he kept eating.

"Listen I made changes and you'll be bunking with me now." Shane explained glaring at Lori whose face went redder.

"Shane I gotta say and I say this in love. From a friend to a friend." Ann patted his shoulder making him puzzled even more. "But I'd rather risk freezing ta death than put up with yer snoring." Lori actually choked on her food trying to cover her laugh. "No offense." Ann shrugged impishly at him who looked astonished that she was joking finally.

After the food had been eaten Shane approached Ann.

"Are ya goin ta be okay?" He asked worriedly and Ann smiled minutely.

"Yeah…" She admitted quietly. "I think I just might be." Shane saw the look that passed between her and Dixon and rolled his eyes. He'd never know what happened out there today but frankly he doubted he wanted to know.


	11. May I Miss Grimes?

The next morning Ann woke up before everybody else. She snuck down to the lake and stripped down to her underwear and bra and submerged herself into the water. She swam until the Sun started to turn the sky pink revealing that it was going to rise soon. Luckily this was the lake that Rick and her would camp at when the family went on picnics. Of course not at this exact site but she knew her way around the water.

"Aw and here I thought I was da only one that came here…"

Ann looked up from where she was treading water and noticed Daryl Dixon standing on the shore tossing down his discarded plaid vest. Ann's eyes widened seeing him without a shirt on.

'Good lord!' She muttered to herself silently. 'I'm just now realizing that he had me pinned to the ground with that body!' She gave a small squeak and went underwater when he stripped down to his boxers. She resurfaced and let out a laugh.

"Jeez Dixon, there any clothes that aren't camouflage?" She asked nervously trying not to sound nervous.

"I figure I had ta soak my ribs after yesterday." Daryl smirked wolfishly at her. That was when Ann saw the bruises that she gave him with her elbow.

"Oh my GOD! I am sooo sorry!" She apologized in horror.

"What did I expect? I threw my knife at ya!" He walked into the water and swam around a bit. "Sides' you can move fast. Didn't think about that." Daryl smirked again then laughed. "Where'd ya learn that leg thing?" He swam over to her curiously.

"My brother." Ann frowned at remembering Rick. She smirked sadly and continued. "He figured if he and Shane were gonna pick on me the least he could do was ta teach me how ta hold mah own."

"Ya mean ta tell me that ya grew up with that jackass up there?" Daryl asked with a look of disgust.

"Oh he ain't that bad." Ann smirked and exited the water. She started to collect her clothes up and turned around to address him further but he was out of the water already and had managed to sneak up on her. She squeaked in surprise and slipped on the bank and landed on her back. "Ow!" She whined in misery. She glared at Daryl who started snickering.

"Ya sure are a jumpy little thing." He managed to get out through his snickers.

"Ya can blame Rick and Shane for that." Ann pouted in embarrassment when Daryl didn't stop laughing at her. So she swooped her leg into the back of his knee again and down he went. He hit the ground with an 'oomph'.

"Ow…" He whined but still laughed which got her laughing to. He rolled over and pinned her again. "Not as funny at it was yesterday." He admitted drolly and gave her a pointed look.

Ann realized that they were right back where they started only less dressed. 'oh this ain't good…' She admitted silently. She saw hesitation on his face.

"Mah momma taught me ta ask fore I act." Daryl said quietly.

"Ask?" Ann asked confusedly.

"May ah kiss you Miss Grimes?" He asked looking down at her. Ann gulped nervously he was asking her if he could…? Ann looked at him and felt a flutter in her chest. The next words would physically change her forever.

"Mistah Dixon." Her voice lowered slightly. "Ya may do more then kiss." Daryl grinned and kissed her tenderly.


	12. TELL ME YA DIDN'T!

**Shane Walsh was busy setting up the cleaning supplies for everybody else. They could do their laundry but it had to be done by hand now. He saw Ann wander into camp with her hair soaking wet. Her clothes seemed to stick to her body indicating that she had been swimming. The one thing that peaked his curiosity was the incredibly stupid grin on her face. Then he saw Daryl freaking Dixon walking up behind her in the same state. Daryl ran a hand through his short wet hair and sent a grin of his own to her. Shane's eyes widened and dropped the soap and other supplies in horror. He knew that look Dixon sent her! It was a grin of smugness and 'I know what you look like'. He had given that same expression to his first girlfriend. Then that would only mean one damn thing! Shane paled and bent over resting his arms on his knees.**

"**Oh GOD…" He muttered trying not to get sick. "No…." He whined to himself. 'Thank GOD Rick ain't here ta see this!' He grumbled silently. He took multiple deep breaths trying so hard not to throw up.**

"**Shane?" Ann asked worriedly. She had seen him drop the supplies and lean forward. "Are ye okay? Ya feeling sick or anything?" She asked going into Nurse Mode.**

"**Ann…" He sighed sadly. "Tell me ya didn't!" He moaned in disgust. "Not with him!" Shane couldn't even look up to address her.**

"**Tell you I didn't what?" Ann asked worriedly making Shane look up finally.**

**He saw the apprehension, the worry and confusion. **

**The look Shane gave her made her pale in realization.**

"**Jeez! What do I have 'recently fornicated' stamped on my forehead?" She snapped trying to make a joke and Shane went green before putting his hand up stopping her from continuing.**

"**I'm gonna ta be sick!" He moaned and ran off holding his mouth.**

**Ann smirked when she felt Daryl wrap his arm around her waist.**

"**What's with the idiot?" He asked curiously.**

"**He knows…" She explained as Daryl nuzzled her hair making her sigh.**

"**How'd he take it?"**

"**Better than I thought." Ann grinned bashfully at him after he kissed her cheek.**


	13. 1 lone survivor on radio to Atlanta

Night time finally fell and the others were around the fire silently. Dale kept glancing over at Daryl Dixon who still had an arm on Ann. At least this time it was around her shoulders. Ann was leaning back against the chair like log and pressed more into Daryl's arm and snuggled in more.

"I ain't one for snuggling darlin." He admitted wryly and saw how tired she was. Probably the only reason she snuggled into him was because she was half asleep. "And I ain't a pillow!" He whined moving her a bit which got her to protest again. "I knew better than ta take ya to mah bed." Daryl smirked secretly at the girl asleep on his arm. "Figures ya'd be one of those octopus types. Latching on like ya own it now." He played with a strand of her hair.

"Ya'd better stop talkin…" Ann grinned with her eyes closed.

"You awake?" Daryl asked with a snicker.

"Have been the whole time. Stop talkin, I can feel Shane's glare from here." Ann nuzzled his neck before she sat up.

Daryl look over and saw the thunderous expression on Shane's face. Oh that's right they were still at the campfire. Everybody heard his remarks to her. Nobody was giving him pleasant looks either. Except for that old Golden Pond coot. He was close enough to the two of them to see the teasing grins they were giving each other. Ann stood up and prepared her usual spot to sleep. Daryl grabbed her wrist stopping her.

"Ah cain't sleep soundly knowin' that yer out here where some critter can grab ya up." He tugged her arm and forced her to stand. "Come on we going ta sleep." He led her to his and Merle's tent.

Daryl looked confused when he saw Merle exit the tent with his rolled up sleeping bag.

"Where da hell you goin?" Daryl asked worriedly.

"I'm sleepin in the damn truck." Merle grumbled and moved off. "I don't need ta witness whatere' the hell ya two do!"

"You keeping watch?" Daryl asked still holding Ann's wrist.

"Yep. Not much else ta do."

"Wake me in five hours. I got next watch." Daryl informed Merle who looked a him like he grew a second head.

Ann looked inside the small tent and walked into it. Daryl looked back at the campfire group that was still watching them. He smirked to himself and entered the tent himself.

Despite popular belief they were both pretty darn tired. Daryl sat beside Ann who was practically asleep before she hit the ground. He snickered and laid up against her and wrapped an arm around her body pulling her closer. Within seconds he himself was asleep.

After five hours Merle was done with his watch but Shane stopped him from waking Daryl.

"I'll take watch Dixon. They need the sleep." Merle gave Shane a guarded look before shrugging indifferently and heading off to sleep.

Ann woke up to find Daryl already gone so she got up. She exited the tent and walked over to the group that was crowding around the radio.

"What's up?" She asked curiously. She saw Amy kneeling beside the transmitter.

"Folks don't know what they're getting inta." She shook her head sadly. Ann looked confused and then looked over at Dale.

"Heard chatter few seconds ago. A survivor is heading to Atlanta for help."

"Well ain't they going ta get a rude awakening." Ann shook her head in dismay. "We should put up a warning sign or something."

"Lori just said the same thing." Shane admitted and the two girls stared at each other in mute horror.

"If Lori and I agreed on something then it truly is the end of the world…" Ann shook her head woefully and walked away.


	14. 1 lone group to save 1 lone survivor

Roughly three hours later Ann had finished her own work. She had checked her first patient from the first day. She smirked wryly at the cleaned up wound.

"This is looking better than it should Jack considering…" Ann informed the man who nodded. He shot his sister a look. Ann nodded in understanding. "I see. Your sister must be following the directions I left her to the Tee."

"Yah but it's like livin with Hitler." The black man muttered annoyed.

"I heard that ya ungrateful…" His sister Trudy grumbled angrily and the two started to bicker. They stopped arguing hearing sniffling and chuckles. "You okay Doc?" Trudy asked.

"It's just Rick and I would always argue over the damndest things. It just brought back some memories. And Trudy I warned ya about callin me Doc. I was just a nurse." Ann snapped wiping loose tears from her eyes.

"Yer the closest thing we got now…" Jack admitted sadly. Ann Grimes nodded in defeat that much was true.

"You two just be thankful yer both alive right now." Ann informed them both. They watched her leave sadly.

"Good goin idiot ya made her cry!" Ann heard Trudy snap at her brother and she almost burst into laughter while a new batch of tears entered her eyes.

"Afternoon Miss Grimes."

"Hello to you as well Jim. I missed something didn't I?" She asked looking over at the crowd that was at the radio again.

"Yessir." Jim nodded then remained quiet. Ann waited patiently but he wasn't talking.

"Well?" She stated sardonically. "What did I miss?"

"They thinking bout sending a small group to Atlanta ta put up a warning. Maybe look fer that feller that was on the radio before. Wasn't that long ago, he might still be alive."

"Thanks Jim." Ann smirked at her quiet friend who shrugged.

Ann walked over to the group and noticed that Daryl looked a bit upset.

"Daryl?" She asked in a whisper. He glared at her and shook his head and left for the tent. "Okay somebody wanna tell what the hell that was?" Ann glared at the group. Merle grimaced and nodded.

"I'm goin with them ta Atlanta. He's just bein a pussy is all!" Merle snickered at his own joke. Ann's eyes narrowed dangerously. Merle coughed nervously. Now normally he wouldn't be intimidated by a little bitch with a smart mouth. But Daryl had warned him that she wasn't as meek as she appeared.

"Or he could be worried about his brotha not coming back…" Ann glared icily at him. He snorted in laughter.

"Not come back. Ha! I'm a fucking Dixon!"

"Just making an observation…" Ann took stock of the other people in the group that were leaving for Atlanta. Ann stared at Andrea and Glen in shock. "okay Merle I can understand. How'd ya two get roped in?"

"Being a former pizza delivery guy I know every street of Atlanta." Glen admitted not looking happy with this idea. Ann looked at Andrea who coughed nervously.

"And you Andrea?" Andrea turned pink and leaned in to whisper in Ann's ear. "Seriously? A gift?" She asked dubiously, Andrea just nodded and shot her sister a look.

"Well if we're goin we need ta get goin before dark sets in." Morales informed them sadly. Ann stared at the Latino man in horror.

"Morales? But…" Ann stuttered looking over at his wife and three kids.

"I was a truck driver Ann. You think any one of this guys could handle something that big?" Ann looked worriedly at the group that was going.

"With or without crashing?" She asked and he laughed darkly and patted her shoulder. K-Dog (sorry I thought it was T but it's K) nodded that he was going to in case of any heavy lifting needed. Merle rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Oh ain't this just peachy! One Darkie, one Chink, one blond bitch, and one Beaner." Merle grumbled angrily. Ann looked at Morales who glared at Merle for the racial slurs.

"Just don't kill em…" Ann shook her head woefully at the four that were just insulted. Then they were off and heading to Atlanta.

Ann was about to enter the tent when Daryl came storming out with his plaid vest on. He was toting his crossbow and wearing an acerbic expression.

"Daryl?" She asked worriedly following him.

"I'm goin huntin." Was the only angered response she got. She grabbed his wrist worriedly and had the crossbow pointed at her. Daryl saw the fear in her eyes but he just couldn't do this right now. "Don't!" He warned her angrily. "Just don't!" He tore his arm away from her and kept walking further into the woods.

"DARYL WAIT!" Ann called again knowing he didn't want to talk.

"WHAT?" He yelled at her angrily.

"It's just…." Ann saw him getting agitated and sighed tiredly. She lightly kissed his cheek. "Be careful."

Daryl stared at her in silence. She walked away and he lightly touched the spot she kissed and hurried over to her. He spun her around and crushed his mouth onto hers. After a few seconds of kissing he pulled away.

"You to." He muttered quietly and smirked sadly before he started away again.


	15. OMG RICK!

Ann was beside herself with concern. She kept glancing over to Morales' family who tried to look braver then they probably felt. She didn't even have Daryl to talk to right now because he was busy venting his anger and worry on the poor animals in the woods. She tried to busy herself around the camp but she found herself worrying about not only Daryl but the small group that went to Atlanta.

Ann found her distraction when Ed's wife came over to her and asked for help.

"Sure. I got time. What's the favor?" Ann stood up while dusting herself off. The lady with short hair peeled back her shirt and Ann gaped at the huge bruise on the woman's side. "Did he do this?" Ann whispered worriedly.

"I fell." Kim stated dully not even looking at her.

"Yeah I've seen these kinds of falls." Ann muttered darkly and put the ointment she concocted onto the bruise. "It won't get better Kim." Ann gave the lady a sad look. "Working as a nurse, we've had 'falls' come in from time to time. It just gets worse."

"He's mah husband!" Kim defended Ed to the bitter end.

"I know. Just a warning." Ann shrugged uselessly. "Next time ya 'fall' find a safe place to hide."

"He'll find me." Kim added darkly.

"If not fer yerself then for yer daughter." Ann added sadly and sent Kim on her way.

Dale walked over and frowned at the short haired woman walking away.

"That's the third time this week she's fallen." He muttered sadly.

"What can ya do?" Ann shrugged dully and started away.

"Yer a nurse ya can do something…" Dale looked at her.

"They are married." Ann saw the anger brewing on Dale's face. "Dale…" She leaned closer to him. "If we interfere, she'll just end up running back to him apologizing. It happens every time. She needs ta wake up herself." Ann saw the comprehension on Dale's face. "All we can really do is make sure she feels safe enough to wake up." Ann walked away again.

The night fell and the group wasn't back yet from Atlanta. Nor was Daryl back from hunting. Ann sat at the fire with her arms crossed and tried not to think about all the things that could go wrong.

"Evening Doc." Trudy greeted her and sat beside her at the fire.

"Trudy…" She sighed in defeat.

"Yeah I know stop callin yah Doc." Ann looked over and snorted in laughter at her friend. "So you and Dixon huh?" Trudy made light conversation.

"Yeah I've been ta ask ya mah self. Why him?" Amy asked from the other side of Ann. She looked at the two girls and sighed.

"Figures…" She snorted and shook her head. "Even with the apocalypse the gossip doesn't die."

"Well they have a good point." Jackie admitted from beside Amy. "Yer too pretty for the likes of that redneck ass."

"He's built okay." Ann muttered turning pink.

"He don't look that good ta me." Trudy grimaced.

"Trust me on this girls. Daryl Dixon is built!"

"Ya mean he's ripped?" Jackie asked curiously.

"In more ways than one…" Ann smiled bashfully when the other girls realized what she meant and started to laugh uproariously.

The next morning everyone heard what sounded like a car alarm fast approaching the camp.

"What in da hell is that?" Ann grumbled rubbing her eyes sleepily. Dale gave her his binoculars. "It looks like Glenn driving…a" Ann pulled down the viewers and pouted. "He stole car I wanted ta buy." She threw the viewers at Dale and stormed off. He smirked at the younger girl and shook his head. The truck came into view and people started to file out. Morales came out of the passenger seat and his children called to him happily and he hugged the three of them.

Ann frowned at Carl who felt the pain of not being able to do that anymore with Rick. At least Lori was there to help her nephew. Ann sighed sighing Amy call out to her sister and the two hugged.

'I on the other hand don't even have Daryl ta talk ta.'

Ann felt despair creep into her heart at seeing the siblings hugging. Rick hadn't been one for hugs but given the right occasion he was like a vise you couldn't get off. She heard Morales talk about the guy they picked up. The one they went into town for. She turned around and started away.

"Hey helicopter guy! Come meet everyone!" Morales called off to the truck.

Ann was still facing away from the group but one word Carl screamed made her back stiffen in shock.

"DAD!"

She spun around and saw RICK! Her brother! Was alive.

'how the hell, who the fuck, how the fuck, what the fuck and holy Frittlecakes!' Ann's mind moved at a pace even she couldn't understand the words. She shared the morbidly shocked expression with Shane who looked downright ill.

"Rick?" She finally found her voice and called out. The man holding Carl and Lori looked over and gaped at her. Carl slid out of his arms and Lori moved back.

"Ann…?" Rick asked worriedly. He walked forward unsure if she was real. He then ran forward and grabbed her into a fierce hug. "OH GOD!" He muttered into her hair. "oh thank GOD…" He started to ramble which he hadn't done since they were kids. "Ah thought ya were one of the bodies in parking lot!"

"Rick man let her go." Shane told his best friend who gaped at him.

"Why in da hell would I do that? I'm talking to mah sista!" Rick finally noticed the gray color to his sister's cheeks.

Ann's system just had too much stress too much excitement ad her body just did the only thing it could do: It shut down.

"ANN!" She heard her brother's worried voice as she fell into the dark void.

'good idea body…let's take a nap…' Ann's inner thoughts agreed with the body's decision.


	16. She's What!  With Who!

Ann was stuck in complete darkness. She was afraid to wale up. What if it had been a dream and Rick wasn't there?

"Ann?" She heard Rick's worried voice filter through the darkness. "Come on sis. No sleeping on the job…"

She reluctantly opened her eyes and saw Rick Grimes smirk down at her.

"Yah had me worried there for a second." He admitted and sat back. She sat up and just stared at him in silence. "Shane can ah have a minute alone with her?" He looked at Shane who nodded but not before sharing a dark look with Ann again. "Are ya okay?" He asked nervously as he checked her for injuries.

"I'm fine…" She squeaked out and he laughed.

"I've missed that stupid squeak of yours." He admitted sadly and helped her to stand up. "Are ya going ta say something?" Rick asked worriedly. Ann nodded emotionlessly.

Shane looked over in time to see Ann clobber Rick with slaps. She was screaming with every slap.

"YOU STUPID! SON OF A BITCH! DO! YOU! HAVE! ANY IDEA! WHAT! I'VE BEEN THROUGH?" Ann growled angrily at Rick who looked completely mortified. "YA MADE ME THINK YA WERE DEAD!" Ann slapped her brother again. Shane grabbed her around her midsection and pulled her away from Rick.

"Come on darlin. Just breath it's okay." Shane spoke gently into her ear and the fight left Ann's body. "It's been pretty damn hard on all us Rick." Shane informed the man across from him. "Ann I'm gonna let you go. You goin ta be alright?" She nodded after breathing deeply. "Okay then." He placed her on the ground again.

Ann rubbed her sore hands. Wow they really hurt, she couldn't imagine how much it hurt Rick. She looked around shaking her head seeing the others from the camp staring at her. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed something.

"Uhm guys…?" She looked over at the group that had gone and come back. "Where's Merle?" She asked warily and the group looked away or to the ground and her eyes widened. "Aw fuck!" Rick stared at her in horrified shock.

"When da hell'd ya start cussing like that?"

"When the world ended…" Ann sat at the fire shaking her head. "Daryl is not goin ta be happy." Lori looked over smugly.

"Well hell all ya'd need ta do is seduce him into a good mood." Ann shot her sister in law a scathing glare.

"If you think, that I want ta be the one that tells Daryl his brotha ain't here…" Ann shook her head after dropping the glare.

"Lori what did you mean about that?" Rick asked confusedly. Shane saw the grimace on Ann's face as he leaned closer to Rick and whispered into his ear. Rick's face paled then turned almost blood with anger. "SHE'S WHAT?" He turned his evil glare to his sister and yelled again. "WITH WHO?"

"Thanks Shane…" Ann grumbled sarcastically.

"Hey he was goin ta find out sooner or later…"

"Un-fucking-believable!" Rick held his head with his hands. He glanced over to Ann again. "Do I have ta worry Shane?" He asked worriedly and Shane bit his lip nervously. Dale smirked at the three of them.

"No Mister Grimes ya needn't worry about Daryl with her." Dale explained remembering the teasing he witnessed.

"Well at least she ain't doin Merle instead." Shane offered and both Rick and Ann's faces scrunched up in disgust.

"Okay ew. He's like your age Shane…" Ann muttered before standing and heading over to the tent.


	17. That's Who Is?

Ann woke up and noticed Daryl wasn't back yet again. She tried to hide the worry and exited the tent. She smoothed out her auburn hair and slowly made her way to the small creek and splashed some water on her face.

"Ah still cain't believe yer sleepin with Merle's brotha!" Rick shook his head and moved up beside her.

"At the risk of sounding like a crappy Hallmark Card Rick. I was broken, and Daryl fixed me." Ann explained quietly. "Shane said yesterday it was hard on us all. Me more so, because I remembered the promise you made me after mom and dad…" Rick's face paled as he remembered that vow he made. "Ya have any idea how hard it is ta exist without friends or family. And yes Lori does in fact hate me. But that's neither here nor there."

"Speaking of friends Ann. I wanted ta wait til we had more time together before I told ya this…" Ann looked at her brother who looked absolutely heartsick. "I saw Nancy…"

"You…?" Ann hiccupped on a sob. "Was she…?" Ann asked breathing in shakingly. Rick bit his bottom lip and nodded sadly.

"Yeah she was. I saw her on the way home. I hopped on a bike so I could make it home. I found a survivor that took me in and helped me. They filled me in on what was going on. I went back to where I saw a walker crawling in the grass. Their legs were…" Rick couldn't finish. "I didn't realize it was Nancy until I had gotten closer to it. I told her I was sorry this happened to her and I shot her." Rick looked completely beside himself with guilt. "I'm…" He faltered slightly. "I'm sorry Ann!" He grabbed her into a hug. "I'm so damn sorry!" He took in a shuddering breath. "I know she was yer best friend…"

"No Rick. Ya got nothing ta be sorry fer. Ya saved her, and ya set her free." Ann snapped at her brother who still looked guilty. "It's okay. Ya did the right thing. I'm sure Nance would've done it herself if she could've." Ann wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Ya should probably thank Kim for doing those clothes fer ya." Ann explained lightly and Rick nodded.

"The one with the short hair. I was actually on my way ta thank her right now. Ann I don't know if I should say this…" Rick leaned forward and whispered something into her ear and she paled. "Ya might want ta talk about it with his brother."

Not long after their talk the group heard Carl Grimes screaming in horror. That was a lot of manpower to kill one walker. Ann grimaced in disgust watching Jim, Shane, Dale, Glen, Morales, and Rick lay into the walker that was writhing on the ground. She noticed that it had been feeding on a deer that had three arrows in it. Andrea and Amy approached her and watched curiously.

"You two as nervous as I am that they seemed to enjoy that a little too much…" Ann admitted getting a nervous laugh from the sisters. Rick and Shane shot them over a 'shut up' look causing Ann to put her hands up in surrender. "Sorry…"

"This is the first walker that's been up here. They've never come this far out. Why would they start now?" Dale muttered worriedly and Jim looked over at him.

"They running outta food in the city." He informed them and they frowned at the lanky man.

A sudden noise from the woods made them jump in fear. They prepared their weapons again and Daryl Dixon came strutting out of the woods and over to them.

"Sumbitch! That's my deer! I spent this whole time tracking the damn thing!" Daryl grumbled and didn't even take notice of Rick. Daryl tugged out the arrows from the deer carcass. "I was trying to bring back some venison for everyone. Though I did get me some squirrels. Here I find my deer being gnawed on by this motherless!" Daryl's angry words were punctuated with a kick to the fallen walker. Then something happened the walkers head which had been taken off opened its eyes and opened its mouth with a snap of bone. Amy turned green and looked like she was close to being sick.

"Oh my GOD!" She grumbled in disgust as Andrea led her little sister away. Ann's face scrunched up in disgust but didn't leave just then.

"Come on guys! In the head!" Daryl snapped angrily and shot another arrow this time imbedding it into the walkers head finally killing it. He walked past the others and looked briefly at Rick but didn't pay it any mind.

Rick blinked blankly and looked over at Shane who came to stand beside him.

"That's who's warming my sista's bed sheets?" He asked horrified.

"Like I said buddy. Could've been worse." Shane patted Rick's shoulder.

"I don't see how." Rick shook his head woefully and moved to intercept Daryl Dixon to tell him about his brother.


	18. Where's My Brother

"Hey Merle! Come on and get up! Caught us some squirrel!" Daryl tossed the squirrel carcasses off to the side and moved closer to the truck.

"Daryl hold up." Shane moved in front of him. "Something ya should know. About Merle, they ran inta trouble in Atlanta…" Shane started quietly. Daryl swallowed and looked around seeing the worried expressions.

"He dead?" Daryl asked dully and saw the guy he didn't know getting closer.

"We're not sure." Shane admitted he saw Daryl's eyes roll.

"Well either he is, or he ain't!"

"I can explain better." Rick approached finally. Daryl looked at him and glared unsure.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Rick Grimes." Rick introduced himself he did see an eyebrow raise from Daryl who shot a subtle look to Ann.

"Rick Grimes? Ya got somethin ya want ta say to me?" Daryl asked defensively.

Ann didn't know what happened next because it happened way too fast to realize. But Daryl had heard that Merle had been left on the roof department store and handcuffed to a pipe. He had pulled that damn hunting knife and went after Rick. Now Shane had Daryl in an inescapable head lock. Rick was kneeling beside Daryl talking quietly to him. Daryl was getting more agitated and upset.

Ann finally had enough and walked over to the trio. She smacked Shane in the side of the head hard.

"LET HIM GO!" She yelled at Shane who lost concentration on Daryl. Daryl rolled away from the three of them.

"I chained up the door with a padlock so the things wouldn't get him." K-Dog mentioned trying to help.

"That's gotta count for something…" Rick stated calmly.

"The hell with all ya'll!" Daryl paced angrily, Ann saw the anguish in his eyes. "Where is he? Tell me where ya'll left him! I'll an go git him!" Ann frowned as Daryl's voice wavered slightly. She approached him sadly.

"I'll go with you…" She offered and nearly fell over from the volume and multiple NO'S that were yelled. "Or not…" She looked at Shane, Rick and Daryl dumbfounded. "Never had a triangle denial before…" She shook her head and walked over to Daryl. She placed her hand on his shoulder. He shook her hand off and glared at her. "I'm just tryin ta help Daryl…" He shook his head venomously.

"I don't need help!" He pulled away from her. "Least of all from you!" He screamed acidly and stalked off.

Ann looked down to the ground and let him stalk away. She glanced over to her brother who looked away guiltily. She sighed and started over to the fishing gear. She didn't care anymore and she started off to the lake and fish. Or make it look like she was trying to fish. Her friends grabbed up their laundry and hurried to meet her at the water. Dale mentioned to Ed to go and watch over them so they would be safe.

Later Ann had gone back to camp and noticed that Daryl was waiting impatiently in the back of the van while Glenn was behind the wheel. Rick and Shane were bickering about going. She heard something about weapons and ammo. She stepped up in the back of the van and walked over to Daryl.

"What?" He snapped at her.

"I hope ya find him. And that's he's okay. Ya might need these." Ann handed him some water bottles. "For Merle." She offered and put them on the floor of the van and walked away. She heard him behind her honk the van horn and snap at the other guys so they could move faster.

Rick shot a look at Ann and frowned at her going back down the trail to the lake. He glowered at the back of Daryl Dixon and they all got into the back of the moving van. Glenn started the van and they were off.

"I swear Dixon." Rick glowered at the boy in front of him. "Ya eva hurt her like that again. They'll neva find yer fucking body…" Daryl grumbled to himself angrily. Rick moved and sat beside K-Dog.

'She's not that messed up.' Daryl argued silently.

'Well sweetie ya did ignore her…' Daryl glared at the small voice that sounded like his mother.

'I'll make it up ta her later…' Daryl shrugged mentally.

Neither Daryl nor Rick even considered the fact that they might never see her again.


	19. Campfire Brawl

ANN'S POINT OF VIEW

Ann stood off to the side of the gals that were cleaning their laundry. She glanced over to Shane who was relatively farther from them with Carl catching frogs. She smirked as Shane got into the water to splash Carl. He was trying to get the frogs to flee to Carl. She remembered when they were around that age.

*FLASHBACK*

Seven year old Ann watched her brother and friend Shane splashing in the water trying to catch frogs. They were failing miserably but still having a blast. Their parents had forced the two of them to take her along. Shane was already 13 and Rick was 12. She squeaked in surprise when the splashing got too close to her.

"I'm telling mommy on you!" She whined and felt Shane pick her up and launch her into the water.

"No ya don't!" He grinned and Rick rolled his eyes. She resurfaced with a shriek.

"IT'S COLD!" She whined and tried to swim towards them. "And my foot is caught!" She whined miserably.

Shane and Rick shared a look and each grabbed an arm and started to help her from the water. Ann's pout disappeared and catching the two boys off guard pulled them into the water with her. They resurfaced sputtering out water. They gaped at the cute little girl who was grinning impishly without looking at them.

"I suppose ya thought was fun?" Shane asked drolly.

"Uh huh." Ann nodded her head with another grin. Shane and Rick shared another look and each grabbed a shoulder and pushed her under.

*END FLASHBACK*

"ANN?" Ann snapped out of her memory and looked over to the laundry girls.

"What?" She asked worriedly.

"We were just talkin bout what we miss since the world ended…" Andrea called over seeing the other girl's eyes finally focus. "Ya looked like ya were daydreaming."

"Probably about Daryl." Jackie smirked while wringing out another piece of clothing.

"Oh har, har!" Ann sarcastically laughed making the other girls giggle. Ann didn't participate in the talk but she did hear the items they missed.

Amy missed her cell phone and electronics. Ann sighed to herself of course the girl did. She was still young enough to depend on technology like it was an extra limb.

Jackie missed her coffee maker. Okay now that one made her eyebrow raise. Jackie even rattled off the aspects of her coffee maker. Ann shook her head at that point.

Andrea stated what she missed, her vibrator. Ann's eyes widened and looked over at them finally.

"I beg yer pardon?" She cried out making the girls cackle like geese. Kim snuck a look back to her husband Ed. He was watching them disinterestedly.

"Me to." She muttered dryly and the girls took a second to realize what she said and laughed harder.

Ann doubled over and nearly fell into the water in laughter. She had been closer to the group then she had thought and they saw her near tumble and laughed even harder. Ed approached them and put out his cigarette.

"Hello Ed." Ann nodded to him cautiously and he glanced over to her barely acknowledging her.

"Howdy there Ed." Andrea added worriedly.

"Ya know the world just ended. This ain't no chuckle farm." Ed lit up another cigarette and the girls sighed in depression at having their fun sucked out. That is until Ann started lightly humming the Emperor's March. The girls knew it was pointed to Ed but the only reactions they gave were secret smirks to each other.

Ann looked over to where Shane was hearing Lori's mouth shooting off again. She excused herself from the others and wandered over to the group of Grimes and one Walsh.

"I don't care Carl! I told you not to leave Dale's sight! Now go!" Lori looked like she was about to spit fire.

"Lori, we were just having some fun…"

"NO! You do not get to talk to me…" Lori snapped acidly. "You told me my husband was dead!" Lori glared at Shane who looked like a kicked dog. "You do not look at us, you do not talk to us…" She shook her head angrily. "You stay away from my family…"

"Wow since when is it YOUR family?" Ann asked drolly approaching them. "Couldn't help but overhearing ya lay into Shane like the world ending was his fault." Ann stepped up into Lori's space. Both girls saw Shane storm off having not only his feelings hurt but also embarrassed that Ann came to his rescue. "We were both there ya idiot! If ya want somebody ta blame then blame the one that should have known better!" Ann glared at Lori venomously. "I was trained for the medical profession. That makes it my fault! But you seem to forget along with seeing my friends and co-workers get shot ta hell and back by military assholes, that I was under a little stress. I saw the head nurse get ripped to shreds in front of me!" Ann moved forward more and started poking Lori in the shoulder. "Just because yer pissed off for fucking his best friend don't give ya the right ta…" Lori's face paled Ann noticed this and smirked sardonically. "Yeah I know about that. Have known fer a while. I ain't saying nothing to Rick or Shane about it. I love mah brother, I love Shane, and I love my nephew. But you? I can safely say that the hatred ya feel for me is mutual." Ann backed down a little. "If I eva hear ya talking like that to mah brotha Shane again consequences be damned, I'll kill ya." Ann spun on her heel and moved back to her group that oddly enough hadn't heard a damn thing.

Now Ann was back to where she had been fishing while her gal pals cleaned the laundry. Somewhere along the way Ann had missed things being said between the girls and Ed. She saw Ed slap his wife Kim and this time he made her bleed. The girls had come to her rescue and Ann shook her head.

"I gotta stop daydreaming. I'm missing the good stuff." She muttered to herself and saw a blur fly past her and pull Ed away from the small group. Her eyes went wide with alarm seeing Shane Walsh beating the ever living piss out of Ed. "Oh GOD! SHANE STOP!" She hurried over to him. "You're gonna kill him ya moron!" Ann yelled at him to stop again and fell on her ass in surprise. She touched the welt on her face from where Shane struck her. The girls had gasped in horrified shock.

Shane looked over at her and finally noticed that he had backhanded her. His face paled and looked like he was going to be sick. He saw her eyes close down emotionally and a sliver of coldness darted across them. She stood up and went over to Ed who was barely breathing.

"I need ya'll ta get me some of the clothes and soak em. We need to get him cleaned up so I can see how bad off he is." Ann ordered the girls who scattered away to do what she said. She looked blankly at Shane who looked worried. "Ya best go git Morales, and Dale ta make a temporary stretcher for Ed." She informed him icily and knelt beside Ed's body and started to check for broken bones. "I SAID GO!" She yelled at him and he scooted faster than he'd ever run before.

After a while Ed had been patched up as best as he could be. His face was swelling into yucky colors. Yellow mixed with green purple black blue and spots of red. Ann grimaced at the visual.

"Well ya ain't goin ta be pretty, but you'll survive. At least he didn't bust yer ribs." Ann informed Ed and Kim as their daughter watched them talk. She wiped her hands free of the aloe she made and exited the tent. She caught Shane's look and she shook her head at him warning him not to say anything to her.

"I don't need ya saving me from Lori! Ya had no right ta get in the middle of it." Shane followed her. Ann rolled her eyes.

"Wow you really don't listen to 'do not approach me' vibes." Ann grumbled while wringing out the cloth she used to clean up Ed's face. "All I told Lori was ta point the blame at the right person." Ann saw the confusion on Shane's face. "After it's all said and done Shane the one that was trained would be blamed. And that would be me. Nothing more was said and nothing less…" Ann started away from him.

"I'm sorry ah hit ya Ann…" She looked back when Shane said that.

"Accepted. I heard Amy and Andrea went back to the lake for fish."

"Yep."

"You think they'll catch anything?"

"Hope so, I'm getting hungry." Ann looked over at Shane and smirked at him.

"You and your food…"

Dale interrupted them all when he approached the group worriedly.

"I don't want to alarm anybody." He motioned up the hill to where Jim was digging like a madman.

They followed Dale to where Jim was still digging.

"Jim ya need help with that?" Shane offered but Jim kept digging as if he hadn't heard. Ann was more worried at what he was digging.

"Jim? Why are there six holes?" She asked fearfully. She knew the man hid the fact that he sometimes saw what was coming before others. They still had a rather large group, but if what her instincts were saying was that Jim was digging six graves for six of them.

"Had a dream last night."

"What happened?" Dale asked quietly as Shane and Morales flanked Jim who kept digging.

"Can't remember it." He muttered but was soon tackled to the ground by Shane. "Let me be!" He yelled at them.

"Nobody's gonna hurt ya." Shane tried to calm him down but the loss filled Jim's eyes.

"That's a lie. Told that one ta my family and look what happened…" He muttered sadly, Ann frowned at hearing that he lost his family.

They tied him to a tree and Ann kept an eye on him to make sure he wasn't suffering hyperthermia. It was funny though when Shane looked at her in confusion and stated that there weren't any snow. Ann had to explain that hyperthermia and hypothermia were two different things. She watched over Jim and supplied him some water.

"Jim? Who are the six?" She asked trying not stammer through her fear.

"Dunno." He shook his head sadly. "Can't remember. Something jus told me ta dig them."

"Okay then. Just rest here and I'll try ta git Shane and them ta let ya go." Ann got up and started away but heard Jim say something she stopped and almost looked at him but shook her head and kept moving.

'Dixon will need ya'

Andrea and Amy came back with more fish they all had ever caught. Ann shared a look and a grin with Shane. They gave the massive amount of fish to Morales and them to clean up and prepare because they had been the ones cleaning the fish from the start. Nighttime was approaching and Ann still needed to check on some of her patients. She examined the small scar on Jack's throat which healed better than she thought. By the time she was done with that the fish were cleaned up and ready to cook over the fire. Ann saw Carl approach Jim and ask him if he wanted to join them. Shane had cut the rope tying the man down and he went to the fireside. Ann finally wandered over to her final patient.

"Okay Ed, ya know the routine. Any itchiness?" She asked him about the ointment she created. He didn't answer her. "Double vision?" Ed just kept quiet. "Blurred vision?" Ed glared at her through his open eye. "Okay then…" She stood up and looked at Kim and her daughter. "The fish outside are getting cooked up, if ya'll want some food. Ladies." She nodded to the two of them. "Ed." Ann nodded to him and shot Kim a look before heading off.

The batch of them were sitting around the fire eating and enjoying each others company. Morales looked over at Dale and grinned.

"Ya know Dale this has been bugging me fer a while."

"What would that be?" He asked curiously.

"I gotta ask ya about yer watch."

"My watch?" Dale asked with a chuckle.

"Dale he's got a point." Ann smirked at him.

"I mean yer always winding that thing." Shane grinned this time.

"Same time, every day." Amy added with a snicker.

"He must love his watch." Kim added sitting at the fire with her daughter. This got snickering out of the others.

"Well way I see it…" Dale started to explain. "Time seems to be the only thing right now that hasn't changed. It doesn't care if the world jus ended. It jus keeps on existing as it always has." Dale ended the explanation and everyone looked to be in deep thought.

"And now my head hurts." Ann grumbling making the others snicker again. Dale smirked at her shaking his head.

"For the youth I weep." He teased not only her but the others as well. Amy blushed and stood up.

"Ah need ta use the restroom." She admitted embarrassed.

"Jus make it away from camp. Don't want any critters showing up." Jim muttered and they laughed again. Amy laughed and entered the trailer. She exited again not finding something.

"Hey we're outta toilet paper!" Amy yelled over to them then she screamed in pain and horror.

Everybody looked over and saw a Walker gnawing on Amy's arm and she was screaming.

"SHIT!" Shane screamed and everyone grabbed up any weapon they could find.

"SHANE LOOK OUT!" Ann screamed at him and spun around and took out another Walker that was coming towards him. A dozen more Walkers showed up and started to chomp down on anyone they could grab. Everybody was screaming there were random shots from Shane and Dale's gun, and nobody knew what the hell was actually happening.

Ann hurried over to where Lori was about to jumped by a Walker. Ann swung the large tree limb at the Walker knocking it away from her and Carl.

"LORI GET CARL TO THE RV!" She screamed at her and slammed the pointy end into the Walker's brain. "GO!" Ann saw them rush away and she ran over to where some more Walkers pounced on Trudy. Trudy started to scream as the Walkers ripped apart her flesh. Ann screamed in despair and started to swing the limb again. She knocked one of the Walkers away and slammed the pointy end through Trudy's head. She wasn't going to come back as one of those things! Ann looked over and saw that Jack Trudy's brother was already dead and walking towards her. She cried out and struck him through the forehead with a sob. Jack fell to the ground with the tree limb still in his head. She saw another Walker coming for her but she couldn't get the branch out of Jack's head.

"Nononononononono!" Ann chanted still trying to pull her weapon free. If she couldn't get it free before that thing got to her… "Not like this please GOD not like this!" She whined in terror. She finally got the weapon free and swung it at the Walker but it was too close. It knocked her to the ground with a swipe of its arm. It slammed down onto her with its teeth bared. As stupid as it sounded Ann put the tree branch up at the last second and the thing bit it instead of her. Now the only thing between her and the Walker was the thick branch. She started to sob as her upper body strength had started to dwindle away. 'Oh GOD! I'm gonna die!' She thought miserably. She managed to look over and see another walker lumbering over to the two of them. It saw an easy snack and it wanted it. 'NO! They're going ta rip me in half!' She let out a large wail as the Walker on top of her snapped at her again. The second Walker was now crawling towards them. It was almost to them and she cried again. "NO!" She screamed in horror as loud as she could.

"ANN?" She heard three different textures of her name being screamed.

"HELP ME!" She screamed and sobbed. "PLEASE!" She sobbed pathetically. "HELP ME!" The two Walkers had came way too close to sinking their teeth into her flesh but they stopped moving. The one crawling towards her was now dead with a bullet in its head. The one on top of her fell over to the ground and she saw an arrow sticking in its head.

"ANN?" She felt two sets of hands picking her up and check her out worriedly for bites or scratches. She looked blankly at her brother and Daryl the ones that had saved her life and said the only thing one could in a time like this.

"I think I'm gonna be sick!" She pushed through them and ran to expel all the food she had eaten.


	20. Atlanta to Campfire Brawl

DARYL

It had taken some time but the four guys made it into the city without being spotted. Rick led the way through the department store. T-Dog, Rick, Glen and Daryl made their way up the stairs and used Dale's bolt cutters to cut the chain holding the door shut. Daryl ran through the door as soon as it was open enough for him to squeeze through.

"MERLE!" He hollered for his brother. The other three just stared at the younger Dixon when he happened across where his brother had been. "NOOOOOOO!" Daryl screamed angrily and in horror. Daryl freaked out as he saw the handcuffs. One half was attached to the pipe, and the other end was covered in blood. Merle's severed hand laid ominously underneath the bloody cuff. Daryl then viscously turned his crossbow on T-Dog. Glen stiffened in fear as Rick drew his pistol out and aimed at Daryl.

"Don't make me do this kid…" Rick muttered sadly. Daryl was not about to stand down. "Please." Rick pled gently and Daryl looked over. "I cain't tell her that I killed ya."

Daryl glowered at Rick and moved his crossbow away from T-Dog. He then went over and used a handkerchief to wrap up his brothers hand. He motioned to Glen who practically whined when Daryl put the hand in his back pack.

"I'm getting sick and tired of having severed limbs put on me." Glen grumbled and Daryl quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Don't wanna know kid. I don't wanna know." He muttered shaking his head. Glen started to open his mouth to explain what he meant and Daryl smacked the brim of his cap. "Jus said I didn't want ta know!" Daryl grumbled again and looked down spotting a faint blood trail.

T-Dog bent down and picked up Dale's tools that had been left behind earlier. He looked over the hacksaw and noted the shape it was in.

"It's not sharp enough ta cut through the metal but it was sharp enough for the flesh." He shook his head in disgust. Daryl looked over at him.

"Life's a bitch." Daryl snapped angrily and followed the random drops of blood. The other three guys followed Daryl as he made his way to the opposite door. They slowly made their way down the stairwell as Daryl snapped off his crossbow at anything that lumbered in any way. While they made their way Rick had put his hand on his shoulder stopping him for a minute.

"His blood ain't getting any fresher!" Daryl snapped acidly.

"Hold up a second Dixon. Ann…" Rick sighed not wanting to say this. "She told me what ya did for her." Dixon looked annoyingly at Rick who decided to get it over with quick. "Thanks." Daryl smirked just then and looked smugly at him.

"Bet that hurt like hell…" He snickered and kept moving.

"No idea…" Rick grumbled and felt T-Dog pat his shoulder.

They made it into the employee lounge. That's where they found the tourniquet that Merle must have used on his arm. Glen grimaced while his nose crinkled up.

"What's that smell?" He whined. Rick and Daryl looked at the break room stove and noticed what he meant.

"It's flesh." Rick muttered worriedly. "He cauterized the wound."

"Yep and he went out this way." Daryl pointed to an open window that had some specks of blood on it.

"Injured, and bleeding? He won't last long." Glen muttered and shrunk back from the pissed off look Daryl gave him.

"Better than leaving him cuffed to a pipe where they could git him easier." Daryl snarled at the younger Asian kid. He advanced on Glen who squeaked in fear. Rick put his gun up blocking his forward motion.

"Now we're here ta help yer brotha. Now we can only do this if we work together and keep a level head. Do you think ya can do that?" Rick asked him slowly. Daryl shot him a nasty half smirk as his left eye squinted a bit.

"Yeah I can do that." Daryl stated just as slowly to Rick. 'Lord help me I'm actually starting ta like Ann's half wit brotha!'

"Only if we get those guns first." T-Dog muttered. "I ain't about ta roam the streets of the city armed with nothing but my good intentions."

"Okay we get the guns first then we look for Merle." Rick looked over at Daryl who nodded that the guns would be a good idea.

They had decided to flank around the main building in twos so they could alert the other group if there were Walkers. Daryl looked peeved that he got stuck with Glen again. The kid wouldn't shut the hell up about cars.

"Aw shut up!" Daryl finally snapped at the 18 year old former pizza guy. "I'm with Ann, ah don't really care bout what's under the dang hood. As long as it gets me where I'm going!"

"So…" Glen started slowly and Daryl rolled his eyes. "What's she like?" Glenn asked curiously and Daryl glared at him in disbelief.

"Yer asking me when I'm holding a crossbow? Jeez ya really are an idiot." He shook his head in annoyance.

"Well I'm jus saying is all. I was in love once." Glen offered helpfully and Daryl turned on him.

"Now wait jus a damn minute! Nobody ever said anything about love!" Glen stared at him in stunned silence.

"But…you…" Glen stammered and Daryl smirked at him.

"Yes. And yer point?" Daryl asked smugly.

"Whatever ya say Dixon. Jus remember my grandpa always said you don't know what you have til it's gone. By then it's too late."

Daryl looked at Glen and glared before moving forward keeping an eye out for Walkers. He moved his head trying to dislodge an annoying itch. It had been on the back of his neck. The thing was he hadn't had an itch like ever since the day his Ma died.

'Hope that's not Merle doin that.' Daryl grumbled to himself and kept moving.

Daryl and Glen made it first and Daryl snatched up the bag of guns and hurried to the back alley. Glen was lagging behind a little and Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Come on Glen move your Ping Pong ass!"

"What did you jus call me?" Glen looked insulted but Daryl glowered at him and kept moving.

They had just gotten the chain link gate shut again when they came face to face with three guys with tattoos and piercings. The bigger of the three nodded to the bag.

"Hey man that's the bag!" He had a heavy Mexican accent. "Go git it." He told the other two. Daryl glowered at the three assholes and punched out the scrawnier one. They beat Daryl down to the ground and kicked him a couple times. Two of the obvious gang members went for Glen who still held the bag of guns.

"DARYL!" He hollered fearfully.

Daryl took his crossbow and shot the bigger guy in the ass. The guy dropped the bag of guns with a yelp of pain. Suddenly a car pulled up on the other side of the fence. The guys grabbed up Glen who started yelling for Daryl to help him. Daryl only managed to tackle the scrawnier guy to the wall. He then ran for the two asses that had Glen. But they had already pushed the kid into the car and sped away.

50 or so Walkers were already approaching the clamor. They heard the shouts and wanted something to eat. Daryl was cursing up a storm but managed to finally close the gate where the Walkers were now pressed up against it trying to get through. Daryl looked over and growled angrily at the scrawny guy that was left behind. He tackled him to the ground of the alley and started to beat the piss out of him.

Rick Grimes was not exactly happy with his sister and her decision on sleeping with Dixon. The guy's brother made his skin crawl and figured any relative was just going to be just as bad or worse. T-Dog smirked at his expression.

"I know that look." He admitted shaking his head. Rick looked over at the larger black man.

"What look?"

"That one. Dixon may be an ignorant racist redneck. But as Doc told ya…"

"Doc?" Rick looked confused.

"Sorry Ann. We sometimes call her Doc to annoy her."

"She was only a nurse…" Rick looked back at T-Dog who grinned impishly.

"Yeah we know. Anyway Ann was having a real hard time with yer death." T-Dog looked around the corner looking for stray Walkers. "First day I met her she jus stared into the fire. She jus about stopped eating."

Rick turned an incredulous look at T-Dog.

"Don't worry none, Dixon got her ta eat. And laugh, he got her to talk." T-Dog explained some more about why Daryl Dixon was okay with Ann. "He's an asshole with every living thing. But with Ann, he's not. He did more than save her, I think they connected. And I swear ta GOD if ya ever repeat that to him…" T-Dog shook his head with a rueful laugh. Rick smirked sadly at the other man.

"Thanks for telling me." He patted T-Dogs shoulder and they continued.

He glanced over at T-Dog and sighed as they watched Daryl and Glen grab up the bag of guns. They had heard the 'ping pong' remark. He shook his head and started to move back around the building to meet up with them. They heard shouts and cursing and car tires squealing on asphalt. They ran towards the alley and saw Daryl beating the shit out of a blond guy with tattoos. Glen was missing in action but the bag of guns was still there.

"Dixon!" Rick warned him. "What in the hell happened? Where's Glen?"

"This piece of shit and his ass wipes took him!" Daryl seethed acidly.

"Well let's get this guy in doors so we can ask him where they took him." Rick mentioned calmly and Daryl glared over at him and nodded. He shoved the hoodlum over to T-Dog who quirked an eyebrow at him. Rick went and grabbed the bag of guns and happened to look down near the wall and saw the police hat he had dropped earlier in the week. He snatched up the hat and put it into the gun bag.

"I like that hat." He grumbled to himself and saw the smirk on T-Dog's face. He shrugged and made a gesture with his arm to move the group in doors to talk to this new guy.

The three guys stood while Blondie was sitting in a chair. Rick grumbled while rubbing his face with a hand.

"Now yer gonna tell me where yer friends took Glenn."

"Where's Merle!" Daryl yelled angrily and Blondie looked confused.

"Who the hell is that?" The guy whined and Daryl growled before digging into Glen's backpack.

"Ya want ta see what happened to the last guy that crossed me?" Daryl yelled at him and tossed Merle's hand onto his lap which made the kid shriek and pounce up from the chair in horror.

"JESUS!" He cried and the severed limb dropped to the floor.

"Now where's my brother Merle?"

"What kind of hick name is Merle?" Blondie grumbled and Daryl moved forward again and Rick stopped him.

"Listen we don't want any trouble. Jus tell us where they took our friend."

"We wanted the guns." Blondie informed them and Daryl snorted in humor.

"Forget that!" He snapped acidly and Rick motioned for him to be quiet.

"I ain't leaving Glen here. Now he didn't have ta save my worthless ass. But he was the one that got me out of that tank and to the group. I owe it to him." Rick made peace within the group again.

"What about my brotha?" Daryl hissed angrily. Rick looked back at him and tried to make sense to the redneck younger man. Daryl's shoulder twitched slightly. He felt that weird tingly sensation in his neck again. It started to travel to his right shoulder this time. Daryl looked around in quiet perplexion. 'Something ain't right.' Daryl silently admitted to himself.

Daryl stood near the back of the group that entered a walled up lot. A group of Latinos and gang members came out and met them.

"Filipe bro!" Blondie greeted the leader who just stared at him in annoyance.

"Esse I gotta say…" Filipe shook his head. "Not what I meant when I said to bring back the bag of guns."

"We want ta propose a trade." Rick mentioned holding a gun to Blondie's head. "We got one of yours and you got one of ours."

"Hey how do we know Glen ain't dead?" T-Dog mentioned casually. Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Yeah they might a killed him as soon as they got him here." Daryl added quietly loading his crossbow unnaturally fast. He shot the large guy that had a limp a look. He was the one he had got in the ass with an arrow. "And I want that arrow back…"

"You want proof your man's alive?" Filipe motioned up to the roof and Glen was presented tied up and with a bag over his head. "Now give us the guns."

"Hey Filipe! What about me?" Blondie asked worriedly.

"We'll give you 30 minutes to figure out if ya want your man back, to gave us the guns." Filipe mentioned and left them to talk.

Rick and T-Dog discussed being able to take the group of hoodlums down successfully. Rick kept looking at Daryl Dixon who kept rubbing the back of his neck worriedly. 25 minutes of talking about it and they were prepared to fight them if need be. Blondie tried to talk them out of it but Daryl snapped at him angrily. Rick approached Daryl curiously.

"So what's with you? Ya've been itching yer neck for a while now."

"Ain't nothing." Daryl snapped acidly he still had to find his brother. The tingling sensation had come back but it stayed on his shoulder. He wasn't sure what it was trying to tell him but it wasn't good news.

"Whatever Dixon. Let's get Glen back and see if we can't come back to Atlanta ta find Merle when we have more manpower." Daryl didn't look too happy with that idea but he wasn't about to complain right now.

The hour was now up and they entered the building with Blondie tied up and gagged.

"So what's yer answer esse?" Filipe asked professionally.

"No deal. We need these guns. We give ya Blondie ya give us Glen."

"Well what if I had cut up your boy and fed him to my killer attack dogs?" Filipe challenged angrily. Everybody pulled weapons out and was aiming at each other. Blondie whined through the gag not wanting to get hurt.

"We don't want ta fight. But we will if we have ta." Rick informed them and they nodded.

"We will to man." Before they were about to shoot the complex up an elderly woman approached the group.

"Filipe…" She called out and the man looked worriedly at Rick and them.

"Go back inside Abuela." Filipe ordered but the small woman pushed her way through anyway.

"It's Daniel he needs his medicine. He's sick…" She informed him and the Latino looked embarrassedly at Rick and the others. "Who are they?" She asked looking at Rick.

"They're here for the Asian kid."

The woman nodded and approached Rick.

"He's a nice boy. He played a round of chess with us. Come…" The woman motioned to them.

Felipe saw the befuddled expressions of the other group. He sighed and realized his charade was up.

"Well come on." He muttered and led the group further into the complex they had built.

Rick looked around in shock and surprise. It was a retirement home! Little old people littered the hallways and milled around keeping themselves busy. Other people were also walking around. He half listened to how Filipe and his friends were nurses and orderlies when the virus spread. That the government had just left these people to die.

Daryl looked around sadly he liked these gang assholes now. Instead of taking off like everyone else they refused to leave them behind to suffer alone. Other people had showed up and were not turned away. He had to respect people like that. Right now he was too focused on why that sensation was back in his shoulder again. It was starting to set him incredibly on edge.

T-Dog glowered at Glen who was standing beside an elderly black man. The gang members and former home workers gave the man an inhaler and helped him hold it in his mouth. The man began to breath better and he sighed in relief. He thanked them and rested while he got his strength back.

"Guys…" Glen started to talk but T-Dog cut him off.

"Man we thought ya were being eaten by vicious attack dogs!" The bigger man snapped angrily. They heard small yips and looked over and saw 3 Chihuahuas laying on a dog bed. Daryl snorted with laughter and smirked wryly.

"Some attack dogs…" He snickered still unable to dislodge the feeling in his neck.

Rick was less than amused and more pissed off. He glowered at Filipe and motioned to him so they could talk.

"You've gotta be the dumbest sumbitch I've ever met! We were prepared to kill you!" Rick bit out angrily. "That would have been on our hands."

"Ours to man. We would have fought back. It would've been the first time."

After talking Rick left some guns and ammo for the Retirement Home Group. They had let Glen go and they took their friend Blondie back. Now the four men were moving back to their starting place to take the van back to camp.

Glen looked over Rick now sporting his stupid looking police hat.

"Admit it! Ya only came back fer the damn hat!" He snapped teasingly and Rick smirked sheepishly.

"This hat and I've been through too much together." T-Dog and Glen laughed lightly while Daryl shook his head.

"How da hell I get mixed up with you bunch I'll never know…" He admitted snarkily.

They made it to where the van was but the van was not there. They looked around worriedly.

"Van's gone." T-Dog mentioned unnecessarily. Daryl rolled his eyes and glared at him.

"Wow yer sharp!" He snapped in annoyance.

"Who the hell would've taken it?" Glen asked the other three and Rick paled.

"Merle…" He muttered and T-Dog looked at him worriedly.

"He's going ta be bringing some vengeance back to camp…." He informed them and they started to walk the whole way back to camp.

Glen looked over at Daryl who had his crossbow at the ready and was doing constant spins as if looking for an unseen assailant. He knew he was probably worried about Ann if Merle got back there.

"I'm sure he won't hurt her Daryl." He whispered lightly but Daryl glared at him.

"What the fuck you talkin about?" He snapped acidly.

"Ann…" Glen clarified a little louder. Rick and T-Dog looked back at them. "Merle won't hurt her…"

"Yeah." T-Dog muttered helpfully. "He could use her. She's a nurse and everything. He would need somebody with experience to take care of the arm…"

"That ain't making me feel any fucking better!" Daryl spat at the three of them.

Daryl felt the presences at his neck again. This time it had radiated from his neck and to his shoulder. The thing was it had surpassed the shoulder and was settling into his whole spine.

"Something ain't right…" He finally said it out loud. Rick looked back and wondered what he meant.

The closer they got to camp the worse the feeling became. In fact his whole system felt out of whack. That was when they heard the shotgun blast. They froze where they stood and Rick said the words that spurred the four into running.

"Oh my GOD…" They took off running the rest of the way.

Daryl heard another gun going off and screams of panic and pain. Two guns going off lazily would mean that it was somebody walking through camp picking people off. These gunshots were fast as could be like they were aiming at multiple targets. Daryl paled when he thought of that.

"Oh fuck me!" He took out a shotgun and ran faster. "It ain't Merle!" He yelled back. And they ran to catch up. Rick was up at his side.

"What?" He panted out running faster.

"I mean that ain't my fucking brother!" Daryl snapped angrily at Rick who thought about what that meant and he paled.

"Aw fuck!" They ran even faster and entered camp into chaos.

The four men went separate ways clearing out of the dozen or so Walkers that were hunting the camp. Lori and Carl was behind Shane who was shooting anything that came close. Amy was bleeding heavily on the base of the RV steps as Andrea tried to stop the bleeding. They finally finished up the last of the Walkers but Lori looked around worriedly.

"Shane?" She asked going pale. "Where's Ann?" She asked and Daryl froze.

As soon as he heard 'where is Ann' the feeling had flashed across his whole body. Seemed to also send up red flags and warning sirens in his mind. The realization hit him like a bucket of cold water. 'It wasn't Merle! It was Ann! The feeling at the base of my neck! It had been her the whole fucking time!' Daryl looked around with his crossbow ready for action. Ann wasn't seen anywhere! She was not in the camp! Daryl began to breath sporadically trying to get an idea where she was.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A random sobbing scream came from the edge of the woods near camp. Daryl jumped with Rick and Shane trying to pinpoint where the scream came from.

"ANN?" Daryl hollered worriedly and noticed that Rick and Shane had called for her also.

"HELPPPPPPPPP!" Came another scream. "PLEASEEEEE!" Yet another screaming sob. "HELP MEEEEE!" She sounded close to the camp and Daryl was already bounding over dead bodies and logs following the sounds. He didn't even acknowledge that Rick Grimes was almost right beside him.

They cleared the last tree and saw Ann on the ground with a branch barely stopping a Walker from biting her neck. Daryl and Rick saw the second Walker crawling towards the pair on the ground ready for a quick meal. Both Walkers were way too damn fucking close to biting her! Rick took one shot and the crawling Walker launched to the side with a hole in its head. Daryl took his shot and the Walker on top of Ann fell over with an arrow in its head.

Daryl and Rick shoved the Walker off of her and helped up.

"Ann?" Rick asked worriedly as Daryl patted her down for any bites or scratches.

"Hey…" Daryl started worriedly and saw the blank expression on Ann's face as she looked at them both.

"I think I'm going ta be sick!" She muttered before shoving through them and emptying her food onto the ground.


	21. Treetop Confession

Ann was shaking when she managed to get herself to stand up. She looked over at Jim who frowned sadly at everyone else.

"I remember my dream now."

Ann looked past him and saw Amy bleeding to death from a bite to her neck. Ann made her way over to Andrea who was trying to talk to her sister calmly. Ann had hurried up after grabbing some clothing and pressed it onto Amy's neck. Andrea just looked at her blankly before she went back to talking to her sister.

"Ann can't ya do anything for her?" Carl asked wanting to believe that everything could still end well.

"Kid, we didn't exactly cover Zombie bites in Med School." Ann bit out through her tears. Ann checked Amy's eyes and noted the glassy gaze that looked over at her briefly before looking back her sister. She heard Andrea but she couldn't focus on the words she was saying to Amy. She was too distraught to find that she couldn't fix this. "Ah don't know what ta do!" Ann admitted with a sob. "Ah just don't! Andrea I'm SORRY!" Ann sat on the last step of the RV as Amy's life dwindled away. Ann pressed her face into the side of the doorway listening to Andrea's heart wrenching cries for her sister.

Ann finally looked around after ten minutes and took stock of the medical procedures that needed to be taken for contaminated objects. She approached Rick and Shane who watched her worriedly.

"Ann…"

"We need ta burn the bodies. Anything they came in contact with." Ann stuttered slightly holding her arms around her chest. Her body was shaking and her skin tone was even more pale than it had been. "We…." Ann stammered to a stop. "Eitha make sure the ones that got bit don't come back…" Ann muttered again. "Precautions." She ended knowing she wasn't making much sense. 'Ah'm probably goin inta shock.' Ann thought to herself.

Rick saw his sister's eyes. Something happened to her eyes. This wasn't the sister he grew up with. Her eyes were too empty. She would've passed for a Walker but he knew she was breathing. It's just what he saw deep in her eyes was that she was utterly broken. He looked over to Shane who mirrored his own expression. They were both on the same page with this: They probably had lost her. Considering everything that has happened she had always coped in some way or another. Something had happened when they were Atlanta or during the shit hitting the fan. Whichever thing it was whatever it was had swallowed her soul up chewed it up and spit it back out.

"That's a good idea Ann." Shane nodded trying to sound encouraging but he just got a blank look in return. She nodded back at him and walked to the edge of camp. "Hey where you gonna be?" He called to her and she barely stopped to tell them one word.

"Elsewhere." She muttered and kept moving.

Daryl looked around while they had started to pile the Walkers on the fire and didn't see one particular person. He approached Shane with his trusty crossbow in tow.

"Hey! Deputy dipshit! Where's Ann?" He snapped acerbically trying to hide his worry.

"She went for a walk." Shane muttered hating his nickname.

"AND YOU LET HER?" Daryl glowered at the taller man. "After what the fuck just happened ya let her go off alone?" HE stormed off into the woods ready to bring her back kicking and screaming if need be.

Daryl had circled all around the camp perimeter and still couldn't find any trace of her.

"Now that jus ain't possible…" He ran a hand through his hair. "Should be some kind of clue. Ya cain't jus disappear inta thin air!" He muttered out loud.

"Unless if Ah'm in the trees…" Came a broken voice from above.

Daryl looked up the tree he was beside and saw Ann just sitting on a thick limb.

"Now how'd the hell ya get up der?" He asked annoyed. "I tried ta git up der earlier this week but lost mah damn footing!"

"Try the ladder next time." Ann mentioned drolly and Daryl blinked in confusion.

"come again?" He asked incredulously. She then pointed to the batch of branches that oddly enough looked like a ladder but not a ladder if that made sense.

Daryl climbed up slowly being careful not to slip and kill himself. It'd be just his damn luck survive the apocalypse and get himself killed falling out of a fucking tree! He'd never live it down! Well then again he wouldn't live it down because he wouldn't be alive. Daryl rubbed his eyes dislodging the insane monologue.

'I gotta git more sleep. I'm gitting too logical and shit.'

Daryl finally found a spot beside Ann on the limb. Another limb was slightly above that one and she was leaning her head on folded arms.

"So what're ya doin up here?" He asked taking in her appearance.

"Thinking…" Ann admitted drolly and Daryl had a flash to the first time he asked what she was thinking about.

"About?" He asked worriedly hoping she wouldn't say 'going home' like last time. This wasn't the best place to pin her.

"I killed her." Ann sighed sadly and hiccupped on a sob.

Daryl was only a little confused it wasn't like Amy had been killed by her own hand.

"Amy was dead ta begin with. What with her gitting bit and all…"

"Not her." Ann stated simply. "Trudy."

"Oh her. Why you say that?"

"She wasn't dead and I killed her…" Ann stated trying to fight off her sobs.

"I don't quite follow ya darlin…"

"She was being ripped apart by those fucking things! I put a sharp stick in her head before she was dead…OH GOD I KILLED HER DARYL!" Ann sobbed harshly and almost lost her balance. Daryl reached out and caught her before she fell.

"What Ah said bout Amy, stands ta reason tha Trudy was already dead. She was bit right?" Ann nodded sobbing softly. "Then ya didn't kill her. Jus a matta o time fore she turned. Ya let her die without the possibility that she'd come back and take us out as well."

"I've never killed anyone before…" Ann looked over to Daryl who gave her an understanding sad look. "How do ya do it?" She asked him quietly.

"Ah try not ta think bout it much. Cause if Ah do, be sure I'd freak out more. It don't git any easier princess. Wish Ah could give ya rose glasses but It'd jus be a lie. Way I see it, they ain't the same that they had been. When they come back, so Ah figure it's okay ta send them back where they belong…"

"Yeah…" Ann sighed tiredly.

"We should be gitting back ta camp. I'd rather yer dimwit brother and Deputy Dipshit not find us holed up in a tree…"

"Why Daryl Dixon don't tell me yer afraid of Rick and Shane…" Ann finally felt a smirk on her face.

"Hell no! More worried about those fucking guns they got now." Daryl helped Ann out of the tree. "Come on let's git." They walked back into camp holding hands until Ann realized that Jim was cornered by Shane and Rick. They lifted his shirt up and Ann paled at seeing the bite mark on his side.

"Oh no…" She moaned in despair.


	22. What next?

Jim looked over at her and shrugged pathetically.

"Didn't see that in mah dream…." Ann let out a small sob that was covered with a half laugh. Daryl gave her an odd look and tugged on her hand trying to lead her farther into camp.

Rick gave Shane a look of sheer disbelief when they saw Daryl and Ann walking through camp holding hands.

"Ya know that'd be cute if it weren't so…" Shane couldn't find the right word so Rick finished for him.

"Creepy." Shane nodded in agreement and went back to discussing what to do with Jim.

Daryl looked over at the bodies and was going to help load them into the fire. Ann started going the opposite way heading towards Andrea who was waiting for Amy to turn. Andrea was going to be the one that put the bullet in her sisters head. She felt it had been her duty to see to set Amy free from what she would become.

Daryl looked back and noticed that Ann's hand was leaving his own. He quickly tugged her hand making her lose her balance and went crashing back to him with a startled squeak. Rick looked over and growled when he saw Daryl Dixon kissing his sister.

Ann's squeak turned into a whimper when Daryl kissed her. She only slightly noticed that her brother was just about spitting fire. It felt like hours that Daryl held her to him kissing her but it was probably more like a minute. He ended the kiss and breathed in deeply and nuzzled his face into her hair.

"Was worried." Was all he said before he let her go. "Yer going ta have ta tell me how ya got caught up like that! Here I though I was the only one that got ta pin ya to the ground like that…" Daryl smirked impishly at her and she blushed he kissed her again before he walked over to watch over Kim put a sharp object through Ed's brain.

Rick growled again at what he heard Dixon say to her. He started to approach the redneck hunter but a hand on his arm stopped him. He looked back at Jim forgetting he had been standing near him.

"They need each other."

"How am I supposed ta react? He just said…" Jim gave Rick a look that shut him up.

"They need each other." Jim repeated and Rick got the feeling that the man knew something he didn't. "Ya have yer family. Let her have her own now." Rick gaped at Jim who was holding his side from a Walker bite. "Jus watch them two together." Jim told him and Rick whined in protest.

"But she's mah sista!" Rick snapped angrily and looked over at the two in question again. He stopped short at what he was going to say when he saw the looks they had given each other. "Oh." He muttered in realization. "I see…" Rick sighed in despair. "I still don't like it."

Out of all the people to get snatched up Ed was the least favored one. Ann frowned and shook her head at her thoughts.

'Wife beater or not…' Ann sighed sadly. 'Nobody deserves to die like that.' Ann walked over to Andrea who was still waiting on the ground beside Amy's body. She sat on the RV bottom step. Ann looked down on Andrea who was just inconsolable.

"Andrea." Dale started to talk to her but got no response.

"Dale it's okay I got it." Ann admitted that she was watching to make sure Amy didn't bite Andrea. He nodded and whispered something to Andrea and walked away.

"Ah don't need yer help…" Andrea muttered brokenly. "I can do this mahself."

"I don't doubt it Andrea. I understand, and I know what it feels like. Ta lose yer sibling." Andrea glared at her about to argue that her brother Rick was alive. "Before ya say what yer gonna say. Remember until recently to me and everyone over there he was dead. Ah went through a month of absolute agony and despair. Somebody kind a smart told me that anger's like snake venom." Andrea looked up at her confusedly. "Ya get it out before it kills ya."

Ann was looking over at Daryl as he watched Kim taking out her anger on Ed's body. Andrea looked over at and saw what Ann was looking at or rather who she had been looking at.

"When you snap, Andrea just do it with somebody near ya. Somebody ta bring ya back from insanity." Ann still wasn't looking away from Daryl. "You will snap, make it with me or Dale. Okay? If ya ever need anything come find either or of us…" Ann told her quietly. "Yer stronger than I am, cause I wouldn't be able to do this to Rick, or Shane, not to my nephew, or Daryl."

"What about yer sister in law?" Andrea asked drolly Ann smirked sadly at her.

"Lori? Less of a problem…" Andrea gave Ann a sobbing laugh. Ann squeezed her friends shoulder. "We'll be over there."

Daryl watched Kim take the pick axe away from him. He had been more than happy to take that axe to the asshole himself but he let Kim take it from him. Daryl wasn't blind to what that fat fuck did to his wife. Hell not even Merle did shit like that! Their ma had taught them both neva ta raise a hand to a lady. Daryl looked away from Kim as she sobbed and took the axe to Ed's body more than once. He had scanned the camp and caught sight of Ann talking to Andrea quietly. The look that Ann was giving him made him feel weird. He shuffled on his feet slightly getting unnerved by the look. What made him more uncomfortable was the look in her eyes. She finally looked away from him to smirk at Andrea and squeeze her shoulder before moving away. Daryl didn't know what to make of the disappointed feeling when she looked away. He'd never received a look like that before and it made him warm and tingly. He rolled his eyes when he figured out what the feeling was.

'Aw ya gotta be shittin' me!'

Ann watched Andrea like a hawk and noticed she wasn't the only one. Everyone seemed to be staring at the older sister. Ann frowned and moved into their line of sight. She folded her arms and glared pointedly at everyone.

"All ya'll git back to whatever the hell ya were doin!" She snapped and noticed that Dale stood beside her in the same manner.

"Ya heard the lady now move." He offered quietly causing the others to disperse. 'Thanks.' Came a quiet reply from Andrea but they didn't even hear it. Either that or Ann and Dale had chosen to ignore it and give Andrea the privacy she needed. Amy twitched suddenly and Andrea prepared to talk to her sister before she did the deed. She apologized to Amy telling her how sorry she was that she couldn't protect her.

Ann blinked away fresh tears listening to Andrea say her goodbyes before Amy let out a guttural growl and lunged up to bite Andrea. Ann jumped when the gun behind went off. She heard Amy's body hit the dirt behind them.

Lori came over and handed Ann a large sheet.

"It's fer Andrea." She muttered sadly and Ann nodded in thanks. Dale took the sheet from Ann and approached Andrea with it. Ann sighed tiredly and wandered around the camp unsure what to do now.

Shane and Rick were arguing about going into the city again. But this time they were all going to go. Rick wanted to head to the CDC base in Atlanta. He felt that they might get answers at the Center for Disease Control.

"There might be something to help Jim out." Ann explained siding with her brother.

"Now why ain't I surprised that ya side with him?" Shane snapped angrily.

"I beg yer pardon?" Ann challenged dangerously. "I have the right mind ta deck ya fer that!" Ann moved forward. "Jim needs help! And I fer one want to know if there's anything that can be done!" Ann ran a shaking hand through her matted hair. "I took the same Oath as the other nurses and doctors. To do no harm!" She snapped and Shane narrowed his eyes at her.

"Yeah. I saw you not harming Trudy!" Shane snapped at her icily. Ann paled dropping whatever she held. "So you might want to check that argument before ya start it up!" Kim held her mouth stifling her gasp and noticed she wasn't the only one that let out a small squeak.

Ann's eyes filled up with tears she covered her mouth and fled into the woods once again. She stopped just outside camp stood up straighter and turned around and walked back into camp. Her eyes were hard and she walked back up to Shane and threw out her fist.

WHACK

Shane fell back slightly but regained his footing after she punched him. He was just as startled as Rick was that she actually threw a punch. He'd never seen his little sister take a swing at anybody. And by the looks of it she had a hell of a right hook! Rick smirked at her and inclined his head as if to say 'not bad'.

"Ya say anything like that to me again Shane…" Ann took a deep into her lungs. "And I won't save yer sorry ass next time there's Walker attack!" She stalked away until she was back inside her and Daryl's tent.

As soon as she closed up the flap she folded in on herself holding her hand.

"Ouch!" She whined pathetically. "Damn that hurt!" She flexed her hand a bit trying to get the pain to go away. Daryl entered the tent with a smirk.

"Hell of a punch ya got." He snickered slightly. He sat beside her and check her hand. "Never punched before huh?" He asked rubbing her reddened knuckles. She pouted and he smirked again before he kissed the knuckles he was rubbing. "Well they're going to the CDC. Morales and his family ain't going though. So ya might want ta go say goodbye ta them." Daryl saw the same look from before. Ann's eyes bore into his and he had to make a break for it. He tried he really tried to scurry away but Ann had other ideas and practically pounced on him with a kiss. He stared at her in surprise and he smirked lightly and left the tent. That one kiss had him reeling and he just about tripped over his own two feet. Glen gave him an odd look and noticed the redness in his cheeks.

Glen let out a huff of disbelief. 'My GOD Daryl is blushing!' Glen kept his mouth shut and went back to work on packing away the camp. Ann exited the tent and walked over and saw Morales packing up his car.

"So yer just leaving me here alone with these people huh?" She asked quietly and Morales' wife looked over with a smile.

"I was wondering when ya were going to show up Doc." She greeted Ann who frowned.

"Oh not you to!" She whined playfully. Ann had learned to take the 'Doc' in stride. "You guys be careful out there. Ya got the CB's right?"

"Yes ma'am we do." Morales grinned over at her. "Don't worry Dixon will take care of ya. Less worried about leaving ya here alone with these guys." His smile dropped suddenly and he hugged her. "Ya take care of yourself Doc. I just got the feeling yer going ta be fine but be careful yerself."

"ANN!" Daryl hollered over and motioned her to come over to him.

"I guess that's my ride?" Ann asked nervously and let out a small laugh when the three children latched onto her with a big hug.

"Miss you Ann." She heard the oldest daughter say to her. Their mother squeezed her shoulder and nodded with a sad smile.

"ANN!" Daryl just sounded like he was whining now.

"See ya guys around…" Ann kissed Morales on the cheek and hugged his wife and walked over to Daryl who was watching her walk.

He opened the truck door for her and moved his arm up in a mock grand gesture.

"Yer chariot mah lady…"

"Yer weird. Cute but weird." Ann grinned at Daryl and entered his truck. Daryl practically lit up at hearing those words.

The convoy of vehicles finally managed to pull up to the base of the CDC. Ann got out of the truck and scrunched up her nose in disgust. There were at least a hundred dead bodies laying around baking in the Georgia heat.

"Well this brings back memories of med school." She muttered darkly catching a whiff of decay. "No matter how many times ya smell it…" She shook her head. "Ya never git used to it."

"Come on people its gonna get dark real soon! If anyone's here we need ta move now!" Rick ordered everyone and they moved quietly through the sea of death. Daryl was gripping Ann's hand in a death grip and kept her close at all times. He still looked around looking for unknown targets.

By the time they had made it to the front doors which were sealed shut the sun was starting to go down. Rick was yelling into the doors for somebody, anybody to let them in. Shane tried to get him to leave so we could find a safe place to hide before the Walkers showed up. Rick looked up and noticed the camera follow his movement. Ann followed his line of sight and huffed out indignantly.

"Would ya look at that…" She muttered darkly. She jumped hearing Daryl's crossbow go off. She turned around and saw a Walker 20 feet away falling to the ground. Rick was now screaming at the camera to let them inside. Everyone was yelling at Shane and Rick to stop bickering and get moving when the doors slide open revealing a bright white light.

"ANN!" Rick yelled angrily as she went flying through the doors. "Guess we're going in." He gave everyone else a sardonic smirk.


	23. Doctor Edwin Jenners

The others filed in behind Ann who was staring at a blond man in his late 40's. Rick looked back at the man and noticed that the doors that they came through slid shut.

"What do you want?" The man asked them all while holding an assault rifle towards them.

"We just want a chance." Rick explained quietly. The man looked over and saw the guy toting a crossbow moving slightly in front of the girl that was inside first.

"That's asking a lot now a days." The man frowned at guy and girl that caught his eye. "Vie seal the doors." The man stated out loud and another door shut over the outer door.

He motioned the others further inside and put his rifle down. He sat down at a small desk and got out a rubber tourniquet and syringe. "This is the price of admission folks." He stated simply and showed them that he was going to take a vial of blood from each of them.

Daryl looked confusedly at Ann and wanted to know why this guy had asked for blood. They both were in the middle of the line and Ann started to explain to him and Carl who was in front of her. The man kept an eye on her curiously as he drew blood on her older brother and then Shane.

"Virus could be airborne. Can't risk things like that." Carl looked back in fear. "Don't worry too much kid. At most this guy will find two genetic strands between Lori and Rick which should tell him yer their son. With me he'll find that Rick and I share a common genetic strand which will tell him that we're siblings.

Carl had his blood drawn and went to stand with Shane, Lori and Rick. Ann was next and sat at the desk. The man gave her an odd look before he went for the rubber band. He took his good old sweet time doing everything.

"So I heard what you said back there." He made small talk. "Scientist?" He asked her quietly.

"Nurse. We had to take Phlebotomy in Med School. Ann Grimes." She introduced herself.

"Doctor Edwin Jenners pleased to meet somebody else that at least has an idea what's going on." Ann smirked while her cheeks turned red. She heard Daryl clear his throat and he continued to draw the blood. "Next." He called over to Daryl who was now looking at him rudely.

"Daryl play nice." Ann warned him with a playful smirk.

Jenners led them down a hallway and showed them were they could sleep for the night. He looked around at the rag tag group intrigued that they were all so different but yet getting along.

"There's a REC Room down the hall. Board games, books, just take care not to play any of the video games. Those suck up more power than the computer systems do. If you take a shower go easy on the hot water." He gave them the run down and saw the elated expressions.

"Hot water?" Glenn asked hopefully.

"That's what the man said." Shane smirked sharing a look with Rick who smirked back.

While everyone enjoyed the first hot shower they had in a month or two Ann walked around the complex looking at everything. She entered a computer room where Jenners was talking to a picture.

"She's pretty." She admitted making Jenners jump slightly. "Sorry. Just giving myself a tour." Ann sat down on another desk. "Is she yer wife?"

"She was until she got bit."

"I'm sorry." Ann looked down feeling like an idiot.

"Nothing can be done now." He sighed deeply and put the picture down on the table.

"Any idea where this shit started?" Ann asked curiously.

"The first documented cases were somewhere in Prague."

"The Czech Republic?"

"Yer the first one to get that right…" Jenners smirked sadly at her. "Most people I had known still thought it was Czechoslovakia." He rubbed his face wearily. "First 'documented' cases. There were rumors that outbreaks had occurred other places as well."

"Any idea what strain it is?" Ann asked crossing her arms quizzically.

"All we found was it was deadly, and new."

"Hell maybe the Black Plague finally got pissed off and mutated again?" Ann offered sardonically and Jenners smirked in spite of himself. "Do you think there's people with a natural immunity to this?" Ann asked quietly and Jenners snapped around and gaped at her. The look on his face told her that he hadn't even thought of that. "People that could have a natural immunity to this thing, take a blood sample and reverse engineer a cure or vaccine?" Jenners sighed in defeat.

"Where the hell were you three months ago." He grumbled shaking his head. He scoffed in disbelief and shook his head again.

"Well…" Ann started hopefully. "Maybe this thing will mutate into a strain that's not as deadly?"

"Yeah if I even knew what stage this thing was in…" Jenners complained roughly. "Three or more stages of a virus outbreak until it might mutate like that." He shook his head in despair. "I don't we have that kind of time."

"But at least it's something to think about…" Ann offered sadly and Jenners nodded in defeat.

An hour later everyone was sitting at a big conference table where there was food laid out. Daryl walked around drinking the bottle of Jack Daniels he found. Ann walked into the room and stared at the food.

"Thank GOD no more squirrel." She muttered and Daryl frowned at her. "Daryl don't look at me like that. A gal cannot live on rodents alone!" She grumbled before looking for a place to sit. All the chairs had been taken. Hell even Daryl just sat down! She heard Lori and Jackie snicker at what she said.

She was going to look for another chair when Daryl grabbed her arm and pulled down onto his lap. Of course she squeaked in surprise and relaxed when he put his arm around her waist holding on the chair. Everybody stared at the two of them before going back to their talking. Jenners tilted his head at the two of them and secretly smirked as Ann held the arm around her waist lightly rubbing Daryl's arm.

Jenners saw the redness flash across Dixon's face before he controlled himself again. He almost laughed at this scene.

'Ah love beith wasted upon thy youth'. He silently pondered to himself.

Later Ann found herself in the REC Room looking at the numerous books they had to read. She stuck the copy of 'Common Sense' in her bag for later reading. Then she looked through more book titles.

"I kinda like this one." Daryl's voice startled her slightly but then relaxed again. "Yer still jumpy." He smirked as he reached past her and snatched a book off the shelf. Ann shook her head and saw Shane storm through the hallway.

"I'll be back in a second." But Daryl hadn't heard her and started reading Moby Dick.

Ann followed Shane who was just plain angry.

"Shane?" Ann gasped seeing scratches on his neck. "What in the hell happened to ya?" She looked at his neck and he brushed off her hand.

"Nothing that concerns you." He snapped angrily and Ann gave him the 'NURSE GRIMES' look and knew he was in trouble. "It's just a scratch."

"No it's multiple scratches…" Ann added soaking a cloth and cleaning the wounds. "It was Lori wasn't it?" She asked quietly and Shane gave her a horrified look. "Shane before you deny it, I know about you two."

"How long?" He asked in horror.

"The whole time." She muttered while putting some antiseptic onto the wounds harshly which made him yelp. "Oh stop being a baby!"

"I'm love with her Ann…" Shane sighed miserably. "I don't know what ta do." He moaned pathetically.

"Well my advice is to tell Rick…" Shane started to shoot that idea down as soon as it was out of her mouth. He whined in pain when Ann put more antiseptic on his neck. "Now that I have yer attention again, I say explain everything to him. From when we had no choice but ta leave him at the hospital to how horrible it was for Lori, Carl and yourself…" Ann cleaned up her hands and looked back at Shane. "He just might surprise ya." She left him to think silently.

Ann entered the REC Room again and Daryl was engrossed in the book and she laid on the couch almost on top of him.

"What part ya on?" She asked looking at the words on the page. She frowned that he was still on the first page. He looked away embarrassedly. "Daryl?" She asked sadly when she realized what was wrong. "You can't read can you?" She asked softly and Daryl gave her a pitiful expression. "You said you liked this book…"

"Ah know the title. My ma used ta read it ta me before she got sick." He grumbled feeling like a dimwit redneck.

"Call me Ishmael." Ann read out loud, she kept reading aloud but Daryl closed the book on her. She looked at him confusedly but saw the intensity in his eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Ann…" He swallowed nervously. "I love you."


	24. Edwin Jenners matchmaker mastermind

Ann's eyes widened not sure she heard him correctly.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"I love you." He admitted again and her eyes widened even more. Then a brilliant smile lit across her face.

"Really?" She asked gleefully and Daryl sighed in annoyance.

"Yes I really do." He didn't get the chance to say anything else because his mouth was then occupied with hers. "But let's face it…" He gave her a little smirk as he played with a strand of her hair. "If the world hadn't ended…" He looked back into her eyes. "Would this have eva happened?"

Ann sighed into his neck and replied. "Nope." She smirked at him. "Ya'd be with an idiot that can't put two numbers together ta git a higher number. I'd probably have remained single and died a virgin." Daryl's cheeks reddened hearing Ann say that he took her virginity out loud.

"So…" Daryl swallowed still staring at her. "Thank GOD for the world ending."

"Thank GOD." Ann kissed him again. "I love you to. Think I fell fer ya when ya beat the shit outta me." Daryl smirked embarrassedly.

"I almost didn't git a chance to realize it." Daryl admitted sadly. "Kept having some weird feeling in the back of mah neck when we went for Merle. hadn't happened since mah ma died. Thought it were Merle. Then we got back ta camp. Was scared when Ah realized the feeling was warning me about you in trouble."

Ann remembered something Rick had told her couple days ago.

"Daryl? Rick told me when he handcuffed Merle to the pipe that he found a bag of Cocaine in his pocket…" Ann started softly but she noticed Daryl's eyes narrow and his heart breaking through them. He turned away from her in hurt.

"He told me he quit." Daryl said gently. "That fucking…" He shook his head in despair and laughed bitterly. "And here I am thinking that mah brother…"

"What was Merle like two to three weeks ago?" Ann asked curiously.

"He was okay. Well two months ago was when he started acting like a bigger ass than he usually did." Daryl realized that about his older brother with a frown.

"So two months ago he wasn't acting the same? Was he more irritable, more quick to get angry and violent?" Daryl looked at Ann and nodded. "We had some people that had problems with things come in at the Hospital. They were clean but most of them still had a small bag on their person. It could be just a defense mechanism that they feel more comfortable. There were others that had the bag in one pocket and a picture of a family member in the other. It sounds like those two months Merle was detoxing. Those are the signs of detox. So just think about Merle being clean but just having the bag for comfort than use." Daryl stared at her silently for a few seconds.

"Fuck I love you." He swore then pulled her more on top of him. "Wanna go find an empty spot fer the night?" He looked at her hungrily and Ann blushed bashfully.

"Hell yah." She grinned this time and grabbed his arm and took off for the door with him trailing behind trying to keep up.

Edwin Jenners switched the closed circuit TV in front of him off. He smirked sadly at the picture of his late wife and chuckled lightly. He had seen and heard the whole thing. He had seen the bag Ann Grimes had been carrying. He saw the book 'Common Sense' being placed in the bag and decided what he was going to do. He collected all of the papers that had info on them and later snuck it into her book. Now all he needed to do was corner Dixon.

The next morning Jenners had spotted Dixon roaming around before everyone had woken up. He stopped the younger man who was looking at him like he was bug. 'No clue what that girl sees in him…'

"I think you'll know what ta do with this kid." He handed Dixon a small plastic baggie. Daryl looked inside it his eyes widening upon seeing what it held. He looked back up at Jenners who had a minuscule smirk. "Don't screw it up." He winked and walked away leaving a dumbfounded Daryl Dixon standing there holding a small bag containing two wedding rings.


	25. And you thought TDog was mean

Daryl looked at the bag again and pocketed it with a shake of his head. He made his way back to the room Ann was still sleeping in. He watched her sleep for a minute or two.

'Well Ma I finally found a gal.' Daryl thought to himself. 'Only took the fucking world ending.' He smirked lightly as Ann whined in her sleep and shifted on the cot. He slipped back under the covers and pulled her closer with a sigh of content.

Ann woke up slightly when he pulled her closer and she snuffled into his neck making him blush again. She latched her arm around his waist and snuggled closer.

"Mine." She grumbled still half asleep. Daryl snickered quietly when he heard her.

"Long as ya don't pee a circle round me we're fine." He whispered mussing up her hair and she whined again.

"Yours." She sighed slightly and fell back to sleep and Daryl grinned at her.

"Yeah. Mine to." He looked at her as he said this. Then he looked over at the pants he discarded when he got back in bed. Mainly looking at the pocket holding the bag. The words from Jenners played again 'Don't screw this up.'

Ann finally woke up 15 minutes later and saw Daryl propped up on his elbow watching her.

"Morning Darlin." Daryl stated quietly brushing some of her hair from her face. "Beautiful, too good fer me." He admitted sadly and felt a kiss on his lips and smirked at Ann.

"Yer not too bad looking yerself." Ann kissed him again. She smirked and rolled over pinning him to the small bed. "So…" She grinned down at him before wiggling slightly. He whimpered and stilled her hips.

"Aw fuck!" He grumbled. "Don't start somethin ya don't intend ta finish…" He took in a shuddering breath when she looked at him with bright eyes.

"Oh but I do intend ta finish…"

Another 30 minutes passed before they decided to grab a shower.

"Uh…" Daryl ran his hand through his hair. "I ain't too skilled fer shower sex." He admitted.

"Yeah, and I'm still new at this." Ann admitted before turning on the water. "I need a shower, jus because we share it don't mean we have ta screw in it." She looked back in time to see the blush on Daryl's face.

They took their time with their first hot water shower in months. Then they started off towards the cafeteria. Ann stopped in at the REC Room and grabbed Moby Dick from the floor and put it in her bag beside Common Sense. Daryl grabbed her around her waist and they walked into the cafeteria together.

Ann felt the smirk on her face as she looked at Shane and Rick. They were both getting over the copious amounts of liquor they had consumed the night prior. Poor Glen was pretty much hanging off of the lunch table in agony.

"Rookie." Daryl snickered at the Asian kid who glared balefully at the two of them. Ann noticed T-Dog cooking up some eggs for Glen. The bigger man gave her a mischievous grin and put the plate in front of the kid. Glen groaned in dismay getting some snickering from the others.

Ann looked over at Lori who was watching her every move. Lori raised an eyebrow at her expectantly and Ann realized what the subtle expression meant. She smirked wolfishly at her sister in law and moved over to the coffee maker.

"What're ya doin?" Daryl asked quietly as Ann got out the coffee beans and put it in the grinder.

"Punishment." She saw confusion and smirked. "Just watch." Ann kissed his cheek which got a gooey expression from Jackie. "Shane…" She sang lightly. "Rick…" She beckoned the two to look over at her and they paled seeing her holding the grinder. "Who wants coffee?" She sang again which got Dale and Andrea to look at her confusedly.

Lori cleared her throat and raised her hand.

"Why yes Ann I would 'love' some coffee." She admitted loud enough to make both men wince from the volume.

"Ann don't do it…" Rick gave his sister a puppy dog expression but clenched his eyes shut when Ann hit the grind button. He moaned as a pain shot through his eyes.

"Sorry Rick what was that?" Ann asked after letting go of the button. Daryl grinned at the concept of Ann torturing deputy dipshit and idiot sheriff.

"He said don't…" Shane started to talk but the button was hit again. This time Shane laid his forehead against the tabletop with a whine. He linked his hands behind his head trying to block out the grating noise.

"Still cain't hear ya…" Ann sang again.

"Please…" Glen whined trying to process the smell of eggs and the grating sound of coffees beans getting ground.

Ann smirked and depressed the button again. This time Shane, and Rick made a grab for their heads while Glen's eyes rolled into his head. Ann let go of the button just in time to see Glen slip out of his seat onto the ground with a moan of pain. The funny thing was the three had all said something different almost at the same time.

Shane: Aw fuck

Rick: Shit come on!

Glen after he hit the floor: Where'd the table go?

The whole gang burst into hysterical laughter as Ann put the grinder down.

Edwin Jenners entered the room and noticed the laughter. He looked around until he saw Ann putting the coffee grinder down. He then looked back over to three members of the group that were in pain. He put everything together pretty fast and gave Ann an amused head shake.

"Well now ain't you jus evil." He muttered walking past her. She giggled before darting past Glen and hid behind Daryl.

"Protect me." She whimpered as Rick glared at her and Daryl snorted.

"Yer on yer own darlin." He shook his head. He smirked at her before snatching her arm and pulling her to rest on his lap again. "Ah much better." Daryl looked over at her when she snaked both arms around his shoulders. "Though we're gonna have ta talk about ya latching on like this." He grumbled into her ear.

Rick glared at Daryl hearing him say this about his sister.

"Ya weren't complaining about my ability to latch on last night." Ann rebuked and looked over hearing Dale choking on the food he was eating. Andrea was hiding a smirk behind her hand as everyone else had uncomfortable looks.

Rick glowered at the two of them but his forehead creased slightly when he noticed what Ann said had caused a pink tinge to flash across Dixon's cheeks. 'Huh. I'll be damned.' He muttered to himself.

Shane had enough and felt it was time for answers. He looked over at Jenners and stood up.

"So I think it's time we got some information." He stated simply. Jenners rolled his eyes and stood up. The others shot Shane a dubious glare. "I'm just gitting ready for whatever shoe ta drop…" The others frowned at him and Glen sighed.

"Thanks a lot Debbie Downer." He grumbled getting a snicker from Kim.

"Well if ya'll want answers, they're this way." Jenners motioned them to follow.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE) Sorry it took so long to update. My mother quit smoking which oddly enough the whole house came down ill. A filling came out of my tooth. Mom couldn't breath had to go to hospital which is why she doesn't smoke now. But since I'm better I'll try to get this story up and running more smoothly.


	26. An unknown Future

**The small group filtered into the lab that Ann had talked with Jenners in. He looked around before sighing.**

"**You're about to see something that nobody else has been privileged to see." He looked at the wall screen and ordered the computer system. "Vie bring up footage of Test Subject 19." The screen warped into a side view of human being. Luckily it was only a computer engineered picture. "Subject 19 allowed themselves to be placed under observation. Vie magnify to cellular scans." He ordered the computer again and it zoomed past the skull and into the subjects brain.**

**Ann moved forward in curious awe just staring at what all of their brains actually looked like. Daryl moved up beside her curiously but unsure of what he was looking at. **

"**Is that a brain?" Carl asked curiously and Jenners looked at him with a sad smirk.**

"**An extraordinary one."**

**Ann heard the wavering of his voice and she looked over at him. Her eyes widened when she saw the bitterness in Jenners eyes while he explained what this Virus did to the brain. He explained everything to everybody but Ann couldn't focus on the words. She was too busy watching Edwin Jenners staring at the test subject to listen. That was when she knew who test subject 19 had been. She touched his shoulder sadly and he looked at her. He saw the question in her eyes and nodded minutely and her eyes filled with tears.**

'**I'm so sorry.' Her eyes told him and he shrugged before explaining some more about how the virus affects the nervous system.**

"**Okay." Dale admitted with a nod but walked over to the back wall. "But I need to ask about this clock. And why it happens to be counting down. I was just wondering what happens when it reaches 0?" Everybody stared at Dale Ann shook her head at him with a wry smirk.**

"**Yep leave it to Dale to notice the clock." She muttered lightly getting Andrea and a couple others to secretly smirk at her remembering the time when they had all been alive and teasing each other around the fire.**

"**It's when the generator shuts down. Like I said, time is running out." Jenners explained more to Ann than anybody else.**

**Shane and Rick started to look for extra fuel for the generator but the power in some of CDC shut down. Ann had been walking around when the lights went off. She sighed in despair hating the dark. She started to feel her way around and tripped over a coffee table.**

"**DAMMIT!" She snapped rubbing her thigh. She heard her brother's voice bickering with Shane and Glen so she moved towards the voices. "Rick?" She called out worriedly.**

"**Ann?" Shane moved his flashlight around and came across her moving slowly along the wall. "What're ya doin?"**

"**Trying not ta trip! What's it look like?" Ann snapped indignantly as she tripped again.**

"**Failing?" Glen offered and got a thwack to his head from Rick. "Dude." He rubbed his head in pain.**

"**What are ya doin jus walking around in the dark! Ya can't see if ya don't got a flashlight!" Rick scolded her sternly and she stood up glaring at her brother.**

"**Well! I'm sorry I didn't come with NIGHT VISION!"**

"**Daryl's probably pitchin' a fit wondering where ya are doc." Glen smirked and got a three way glare. "Whoa." He put his hands up in surrender. "Sorry."**

**Daryl held another bottle of whiskey in his hands when the lights went out. Now only a soft glow from emergency lights lit the place casting it into a creepy blue color. He looked around worriedly when he realized he hadn't seen Ann in a while. He exited his room and met up with everyone else who were starting to follow Jenners down the hall.**

"**Any of you guys see Ann?" Jenners snatched his bottle from his hand and drank some of it. He looked different somehow.**

"**Hey the air shut off. What's up?" Lori asked worriedly.**

"**What I said would happen. The computers are trying to save power any way they can by taking out the less needed functions."**

"**Like our air?" Jackie asked indignantly.**

"**A computer doesn't need ta breath." Jenners explained downing some more whiskey before handing it back to Daryl.**

**Shane, Rick, Ann and Glen finally managed to get back with the others in the main lab. Daryl walked over to Ann and grabbed her up worriedly.**

"**Where da hell were ya?" He asked in a harsh whisper.**

"**Walking around lights go off then Ah fall down." Ann muttered to him and he looked confused before she smirked impishly at him and kissed his cheek. He started to kiss her when the door to the hallway slid shut. Ann looked back at Jenners curiously and he said something that made them all worry.**

"**It's too late. Vie has sealed the doors."**

**Ann's eyes widened when he revealed that when the clock struck 0 that yes indeed the power would die but he also forgot to mention that when it did hit 0 the entire CDC would explode. Ann was holding her head in her hands while shaking it. She groaned in dismay not believing their luck was seriously 'that' bad. Lori was holding Carl who was freaking out.**

**Rick was yelling at Jenners but Ann wasn't really listening again. 'Boy I seriously have to stop zoning out like this.' She thought to herself.**

"**You told me yerself last night that ya knew it was a matter of time." Jenners argued with Rick who looked sheepishly at everybody else.**

"**You really say that?" Shane asked in anger.**

"**Did he fall inta bed Lori?" Ann asked and Lori nodded confused. Everyone looked over at her and she smirked. "Then ya cain't rely on anything that boy says when he's that drunk." Shane smirked slightly but it dropped suddenly as he went lunging for Jenners wanting to kill the man.**

"**Ya open that door!" He screamed but Rick threw him back away from Jenners. Rick then rounded on Jenners.**

"**You stayed! When everybody else ran ya stayed!" He argued angrily trying to get Jenners to open the door to let them out.**

"**He doesn't have anywhere else." Ann whispered to Daryl who gave her an odd look.**

"**I can't do anything! The only one that could have done anything was my wife! But I promised her that I wouldn't quit trying!" Jenners bit out acidly and Rick stopped suddenly.**

"**Test subject 19 Rick." Ann stated simply. Rick looked over at her in surprise.**

"**Her loss was a devastating blow to the world of science! She was the only one that could've solved this." Jenners bit out again but glanced quickly at Ann who was looking at her brother.**

**After some heated debating Jenners finally unsealed the door that had been keeping them in the lab.**

"**I'm thankful for the chance." Rick admitted and Jenners shook his head.**

"**There will come a time when you wont be." Jenners looked around and whispered something into Rick's ear. Ann saw her brother's face fall while it lost all color.**

**They all started to skedaddle but Jackie hung back.**

"**I'm staying." She stated simply and Ann gave her a pathetic look. "Ann, I don't want to die out there. I'd rather die at peace knowing that it will be quick and painless." Ann sighed sadly and nodded wordlessly. **

**Ann was about to run out the now open door when somebody grabbed her arm. She looked back at Jenners who stared at her thoughtfully. He handed her the bag she had left in her and Daryl's room.**

"**Don't forget yer bag." He stated simply and moved to sit down and wait for his death to take place.**

**Ann heard Dale arguing with Andrea who said she was staying as well. Daryl grabbed Ann's hand and they ran to catch up with the others. Now the outer doors needed to be opened. Or blown off, which ever they could manage. They couldn't figure a way to do it.**

"**You know what Jenners said it would take a rocket launcher to open blast it open." Shane argued with Rick but Kim moved forward.**

"**Rick, I found this in yer pants when I cleaned them. Maybe this could work." Kim handed Rick the round looking grenade.**

"**You females have the damndest things in yer purses." T-Dog shook his head wryly and Ann gave him a grimace.**

"**T-Dog I'm a female and even 'I' find that weird." Rick shot her a look that told her 'shut up'.**

**Everybody ducked down at a safe distance while Rick worked on figuring it out. He managed to set the grenade and there was two microseconds of 'what now?' Ann glared at her brother.**

"**RUN YA IDIOT!"**

"**Oh shit…" He muttered running and dove behind a wall as the grenade exploded.**

**They dusted themselves off and noticed the gaping hole in the glass.**

"**Huh…" Ann huffed out. "Look at that. It actually worked." Daryl grabbed her hand again and the group fled into their respectable vehicles. At the last couple seconds they noticed Dale and Andrea fleeing from the CDC as well.**

"**I see he got her to think clearly." Daryl muttered but Rick yelled at the two of them to get down. Daryl's eyes widened as Andrea and Dale ducked behind some sand bags for protection. When the CDC exploded Daryl covered Ann with his own body and then the blast stopped kabooming. Ann looked at the massive fireball that used to be the CDC.**

"**Damn that was fucking impressive." She muttered in awe and Daryl rolled his eyes.**

"**Let's go guys. Pretty sure every Walker within the city heard that blast." Rick's voice came through the CB and their convoy started down the street.**

**Ann looked down at her bag still wondering how Jenners had gotten it. She looked insider and saw the two books. 'Moby Dick' which she moved slightly out of the way to see the other book. 'Common Sense' was thicker than it had been. Her forehead scrunched up in confusion.**

"**What the devil?" She wondered out loud causing Daryl to look over at her.**

**She opened the book and pulled out a small letter. Her eyes widened reading the letter that was addressed to her.**

'**Ann, I know we just met. What you said made me think. If you can figure it out more power to ya. Edwin Jenners.' **

**Her hands shook as she read more papers that had been shoved into the pages of the book. Everything from the first documented outbreaks in Prague to the different formulas that the other nations had been working on including America. **

"**Oh mah GOD!" She gaped at what she held. Daryl looked at her worriedly now.**

"**What?"**

"**He gave me everything he had!" She muttered slightly. "He wants me ta try ta find natural immunity and find a way to reverse engineer a vaccine!" Her eyes filled with tears.**

"**Or cure?" Daryl looked over into her bag.**

"**Watch the road." Ann scolded him still looking at the information she now held. "We need to keep this quiet."**

"**The others would want to…" Daryl argued but saw Ann's face.**

"**I don't wanna say anything til I know it might be possible." She admitted as they convoy pulled into a clearing for the night.**

**Daryl lightly ghosted his hand over his pants pocket the one that still had the small bag in it.**

"**He gave me something to." He admitted softly. "Told me not ta screw it up. He fucking knew that we'd get away." He shook his head.**

"**What do you mean?" Ann asked looking up curiously from her new quest. Daryl reached into his pocket and pulled out the bag. Ann stared at the small bag in shocked silence. "Those what I think they are?" She asked and he nodded silently. "Uhm." She looked lost for a few seconds. "Are ya asking me?" She asked nervously trying to swallow but since her mouth had gone dry it was pretty hard to.**

"**Yeah I guess so." Daryl shrugged looking at his steering wheel. He didn't want to hear the rejection but was surprised when he heard the answer.**

"**Okay." She muttered still shocked.**

"**What?" He looked at her in shock.**

"**Yes…" His face lit up and he grinned for the first time 'instead of those half smirks he always gave'.**

"**REALLY?" He asked and Ann shot him a look. "Sorry it's just…" He looked away sheepishly. "I never thought ya'd…"**

"**Say yes?" Ann asked smiling sadly and Daryl nodded embarrassedly.**

"**So when do we do this?" He asked nervously.**

"**Well I don't really care. Never really one of those girls that dreamed all their lives about the biggest and best wedding. So I'm good with just saying some words and wearing the rings." Ann stated simply but frowned. "Though we probably should get a witness."**

"**We'd need somebody that can keep their mouth shut." Daryl muttered darkly.**

"**Well that eliminates Glen, T-Dog and Shane." Ann smirked at him. "T-Dog already teases me by calling me Doc. We don't need ta give him any more ammo."**

"**And Ah don't think yer idiot brother would stand idly by while we do this." Daryl smirked hearing her snickering.**

"**Is there anybody we both trust?" She asked while blushing. They both looked at each other thinking the same thing. They both grinned and stated at the same time.**

"**Dale…"**

**Dale was wandering around the hastily put up camp when Ann and Daryl approached him. They looked nervous and worried for some reason.**

"**Dale…" Ann turned red in the cheeks and couldn't continue.**

"**We need a favor." Daryl finished but stalled himself with a pink color on his cheeks.**

"**What kind of favor?" He asked warily and Ann giggled before she grinned bashfully.**

"**We need a witness." Daryl nodded to Ann's words and produced the bag holding the two gold rings. **

**Dale's eyes widened so much that they were afraid he'd stroke out.**

"**Dale?" Daryl asked worriedly but Dale took in a deep breath.**

"**Are ya sure ya two want this?" He asked slowly like he was talking to children.**

"**It's not like we've got our lives ta look forward to." Ann offered making Dale sigh in defeat.**

"**True enough. What do you need me to do?" He asked and Ann damn near squealed in delight grabbing the older man for a hug.**

"**Jus watch?" Daryl shrugged nervously.**

**Dale watched the two put a ring on each hand. He felt a smirk cross his aged face and felt a warmth rising in his heart. They looked so cute right then. Daryl kissed Ann, making her snicker through the kiss.**

**Dale followed the two of them back into camp where they entered hand in hand. Both grinning stupidly it wouldn't a smart person to realize that something was different. Oh yes and there it was…**

"**WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Rick yelled at his sister motioning to the ring on her ring finger. Ann smirked bashfully at her brother who then glared venomously at Daryl.**

"**Oh that's it boy yer going ta die!" He growled angrily and Ann swatted him in the head making him whine in pain.**

"**YA LEAVE MAH HUSBAND AY LONE!" Ann snapped at her brother as soon as she yelled it silence came over the camp as they stared at the two of them in shock.**

"**Awkward…" Glen sang lightly before going back to his tent building.**

"**No ya are gonna die kid…" Shane growled after he got over his own shock.**

"**This shit gotta stop!" Rick growled angrily and approached with Shane.**

"**NO!" Ann cried out moving in front of Daryl. "Don't ya dare. Ya'll jus going ta have ta go through me…" Daryl lightly touched her shoulder and moved around her.**

"**I cain't help that I fell in love with her." He admitted quietly admitted to Rick and Shane who looked over at him. Shane grumbled in annoyance and moved away from the small group. Rick stared at Daryl Dixon and sighed in defeat.**

"**Stands ta reason Dixon ya hurt her I will kill ya…" He stormed away past Lori who actually smirked at her sister in law.**

"**Out of all the crazy bastards she could'a picked why did Ah git stuck with that ass for a brother in law!" Rick complained in the RV to Lori who started laughing.**

"**Ann Dixon has a nice sound to it." T-Dog admitted with a shrug. He walked off and helped Glen put up the tents.**

"**Ah love you Mrs. Dixon." Daryl whispered into her ear and she beamed at him.**

"**Likewise Mistah Dixon." She kissed his cheek and he grinned back at her before he kissed her again.**

**To an unknown future, they shall face it together. Forever bound as one, by body and by soul.**

**THE END**

**(AUTHORS NOTE) yay it's finished! Well I would like to thank all of you who reviewed. And all of you lurkers that read the story as well. I've never had a mega hit before. Maybe I should just get into writing novels, I might be famous and/or just rich! THANKS AGAIN**


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